Progress in solar technologies – from research to application
EU group project presents its results: high efficiencies with less material
A workshop entitled "European Solar Technology Forum – from Research to Industrial Application" took place at HZB to conclude of the European CHEETAH project on November 30, 2017. More than 100 participants from the most important European research institutes in the field of photovoltaics and from numerous universities came together with representatives from industry in order to discuss the progress achieved by CHEETAH.
Three different types of soclar cells have been greatly improved:
Silicon photovoltaics: wafer thickness cut by half
Efforts in the field of silicon photovoltaics have been directed towards the use of ever-thinner wafers in manufacturing photovoltaic modules. Several modules whose cells were 90-100 microns thick were presented at the workshop. These enable considerable savings in materials compared to standard modules with cell thicknesses of 180 microns.
Reducing material consumption in chalcopyrite solar cells by implementing an integrated lens system.
The approach to saving materials in thin-film solar cells made of chalkopyrites (Cu(In,Ga)Se2) was different: the cells were reduced in area and an integrated lens system incorporated into the module to concentrate the sunlight irradiating the cells. The goal is to achieve an efficiency level at least as high as that of current commercial modules while using considerably less material. The first prototypes already demonstrate that the method works in principle and can even reach higher efficiency levels than standard cells under certain circumstances due to the higher light intensity.
Extending the operating life of hybrid solar cells
The third topic in CHEETAH involved organic and hybrid solar cells. In this part of the project, polymer encapsulation materials were measured in an extensive series of tests and correlated with the operating life of the cells. The operating life of these solar cells could be increased to several years using the best of these polymers.
The presentations can be viewed here
- HZB congratulates Peter Hegemann on winning the Nobel PrizeOur warmest congratulations go to Peter Hegemann, Professor of Neuroscience and Experimental Biophysics at Humboldt University in Berlin. Together with Prof. Georg Nagel (Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg) and Prof. Karl Deisseroth (Stanford University, USA), he has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. We are delighted for him, his team, Humboldt University and the entire Berlin scientific community.
- Does African Architecture exist?The world’s first Pan-African Architecture Biennale took place this September in Nairobi, Kenya. People from the worlds of architecture, art, academia and politics from 54 African countries and the diaspora had travelled to Nairobi to exchange ideas on traditional and contemporary building methods, materials, experiences and projects. Samira Aden co-organised this biennial as lead curator. We spoke to her about it.
- Nanosilver as an electrocatalyst for CO₂ reductionVia electrolysis, CO2 can be reduced to CO, a raw material for further chemical products such as fuels. Within the GreenQuest Project, an internation team led by HZB chemist Prashanth Menezes has now systematically investigated catalyst layers made of silver nanoparticles, varying both the size of the particles and their density. The best yield was achieved with nanoparticles with diameters of around 10 nm, which were loosely distributed. Furthermore, they demonstrated how the economic efficiency of the electrochemical cell can be enhanced by integrating an additional chemical reaction at the anode, enabling the simultaneous production of a valuable formic acid, hydrogen, and CO in one device.