The power conversion efficiency of solar cells based on copper (I) oxide (Cu2O) is enhanced by atomic layer deposition of a thin gallium oxide (Ga2O3) layer. By improving band‐alignment and ...passivating interface defects, the device exhibits an open‐circuit voltage of 1.20 V and an efficiency of 3.97%, showing potential of over 7% efficiency.
We demonstrate a tunable electron-blocking layer to enhance the performance of an Earth-abundant metal-oxide solar-cell material. A 5 nm thick amorphous ternary metal-oxide buffer layer reduces ...interface recombination, resulting in sizable open-circuit voltage and efficiency enhancements. This work emphasizes the importance of interface engineering in improving the performance of Earth-abundant solar cells.
The significant capital expense of photovoltaics manufacturing has made it difficult for new cell and module technologies to enter the market. We present two technoeconomic models that analyze the ...sustainable growth of perovskite manufacturing for an R2R single-junction technology and a perovskite-silicon tandem module, focusing on the impacts of economies of scale and average selling price on profitability. We establish a cost range of $3.30/W to $0.53/W for flexible modules manufactured in factory sizes ranging from 0.3 MW/year to 1 GW/year. In addition, we model the cost to manufacture a tandem module consisting of a single-junction perovskite cell stacked in 4-terminal configuration onto a silicon cell and show how an existing manufacturer can grow at a faster rate by co-investing in tandems. Our analyses highlight potential routes to market for perovskite photovoltaics and the possibility to sustainably grow a photovoltaics manufacturing company even in markets with higher labor rates.
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•Flexible perovskite modules manufactured for 3.3–0.53 $/W in a 0.3–1,000 MW/yr range•Minimum investment of >$1 billion required for profitability when selling at $0.40/W•Existing silicon manufacturer would grow at a faster rate by co-investing in tandems•Technoeconomic modeling of energy technology versus scale to establish route to market
We show how technoeconomic modeling of cleantech products versus scale can be an important tool in assisting a more rapid uptake of new energy technologies that often struggle to leave the lab. Our analyses highlight potential routes to market for perovskite photovoltaics and the possibility to sustainably grow a photovoltaics manufacturing company even in markets with higher labor rates. More generally, although technoeconomic modeling has proven to be a useful tool for assessing cleantech industries as they are and the long-term potential of new technologies once they reach scale—we encourage other cost modelers to quantify the impact of economies of scale during manufacturing growth to help in the search for viable and sustainable market on-ramps for their technologies.
The significant capex of photovoltaics manufacturing has made it difficult for new cell and module technologies to enter the solar power market. We show how technoeconomic modeling of cleantech products versus scale can be an important tool in assisting the commercialization of new energy technologies that often struggle to leave the lab with our analyses focusing on potential routes to market for perovskite photovoltaics.
Thin films of nitrogen‐doped cuprous oxide (Cu2O:N) have been deposited by means of direct‐current and radio‐frequency sputtering using a metallic copper target and a mixture of argon, oxygen, and ...nitrogen for generating the plasma. The doping with nitrogen appears to significantly increase the electrical conductivity of the films. All samples exhibit a temperature‐activated transport behavior. It is shown that the activation energy decreases proportionally to the reciprocal distance between nitrogen atoms, which indicates that a constant fraction of nitrogen is most likely substitutionally incorporated on oxygen site in the Cu2O lattice and acts as an acceptor. Nevertheless, Raman measurements suggest that molecular nitrogen can also be found in the samples, bound at different sites inside the bulk and at the surface.
The properties of large grain cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) foils are explored after the implementation of a controlled postgrowth annealing process. P-type foils with a wide range of carrier density are ...demonstrated, enabling a promising processing window for wide bandgap solar cell devices. Hall measurements at room temperature show increased majority carrier concentration after nitrogen annealing and a reduction in mobility. The progressive change in resistivity with annealing temperature is shown, with values approaching 100 Ω·cm. Carrier recombination, measured by microwave photoconductance decay, shows a discrete change upon annealing.
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