NEDO and Toshiba Corp. have announced they have developed a 24.15 cm x 29.10 cm - area 703 cm2 flexible perovskite solar cell module with with a power conversion efficiency of 11.7%. Toshiba and NEDO said this is the largest flexible perovskite developed to date. Large area high efficiency flexible solar cells are expected to lead the greater commercial adoption.
In the future Toshiba and NEDO plan to develop even solar cells with larger area, develop material coating-printing technology, improve material of perovskite layer, increase efficiency comparable to that of crystalline silicon solar cell.
By developing coating process for large area and ink composition Toshiba and NEDO were able to control the reaction of lead iodide (PbI 2) and methylammonium iodide (CH 3 NH 3 I) (MAI) on the substrate. In addition, they succeeded in improving the in-plane film thickness uniformity in a large area and the homogeneity of crystal film quality by controlling the process at the time of coating and optimising perovskite crystal growth conditions.
Toshiba and NEDO said they are aiming to develop flexible perovskite solar cells with an area of 900 cm2 which is they say is a commercially viable size. Ultimately, Toshiba and NEDO are planning further advance research and development with the aim of realising a generation cost of 7 yen / kWh by 2030, which is the target of the project.
Toshiba and NEDO will be exhibiting prototypes on the NEDO booth at the 13th Renewable Energy World Exhibition to be held from 20th June at Pacifico Yokohama.
Figure 2: Film type perovskite solar cell module manufacturing image by meniscus coating technology