NEDO and Panasonic set Highest Efficiency for Largest-area Solar Cell Module

Panasonic has achieved the world’s highest energy conversion efficiency of 16.09 percent for a perovskite solar module in collaboration with NEDO.

The Panasonic Corporation has achieved the world’s highest energy conversion efficiency of 16.09 percent for a perovskite solar module (Aperture area 802 cm2: 30 cm long x 30 cm wide x 2 mm thick) by developing lightweight technology using a glass substrate and a large-area coating method based on inkjet printing.

This was carried out as part of the project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which is working on the “Development of Technologies to Reduce Power Generation Costs for High-Performance and High-Reliability Photovoltaic Power Generation” to promote the widespread adoption of solar power generation.

This inkjet-based coating method that can cover a large area reduces the manufacturing costs of modules. In addition, this large-area, lightweight, and high-conversion efficiency module allows for generating solar power highly efficiently at locations where conventional solar panels were difficult to install, such as façades.

By optimising these technologies through the coating process in each layer formation, Panasonic succeeded in enhancing crystal growth and improving the uniformity for thickness and crystal layer. As a result, they achieved the power conversion efficiency of 16.09% and took a step forward to practical application.

Going forward, the two firms want to continue to improve perovskite layer materials, aiming to achieve high efficiency comparable to that of crystalline silicon solar cells and establish technologies for practical application in new markets.

By realising lower process cost and more lightweight for a large-area perovskite module, the two corporations will plan to create a new market in which the solar cells have never been placed and adopted. Based on the development of each material related to perovskite solar cells, NEDO and Panasonic aim to achieve high efficiency comparable to that of crystalline silicon solar cells and enhance the effort to reduce production cost to 15 yen/W.