In a major breakthrough for renewable energy technology, engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have set a new world record for the efficiency of kesterite solar cells, achieving an impressive 13.2 per cent efficiency rate.
This advancement marks a crucial step forward in the development of next-generation photovoltaic technology.
Led by Scientia Professor Xiaojing Hao from UNSW’s School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, the research team has successfully enhanced the performance of high-bandgap kesterite solar cells through hydrogen treatment.
Kesterite, also known as CZTS (copper, zinc, tin, and sulphur), is a promising material for future solar cell technology due to its environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and long-term stability.
“The big picture here is that we ultimately want to make electricity cheaper and greener to generate,” Professor Hao explained.
She added that this research aims to address the PV industry’s quest for next-generation solar cells that can surpass the theoretical efficiency limits of traditional silicon modules.
The UNSW team’s breakthrough came through a novel approach of annealing the CZTS solar cell device in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere.
This process, known as passivation, helps to reduce defects in the material that have long hampered its efficiency.
Dr Kaiwen Sun and Dr Jialiang Huang, key members of the research team, contributed to solving the longstanding efficiency plateau that had stagnated at 11 per cent for the past six years.
Their fundamental research, recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Energy, details the methods behind this significant efficiency boost.
The potential applications for CZTS are particularly promising in tandem solar cells, which combine multiple solar cell types to capture a broader spectrum of sunlight.
Professor Hao expressed optimism about reaching 15 per cent efficiency within the next year and anticipates commercialisation by 2030.
This advancement in kesterite technology offers a compelling alternative to other emerging solar cell materials like perovskite, which, despite higher efficiency, faces challenges with stability and toxicity.
As the world continues to seek sustainable energy solutions, UNSW’s record-breaking achievement in kesterite solar cell efficiency represents a significant step towards more affordable, environmentally friendly, and efficient solar power generation.
