The Most Influential Scientific and Technological

Achievement Proposal Award

ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FINAL PROJECT – CASE STUDY

Perovskite Solar Cells - a promising technology for next-generation

photovoltaic devices

Lecturer: Khac Thi Anh Tuyet

Class: ENG2072 – 9

Group: 8

Members: Pham Tran Hanh Nguyen - 22040382

Bui Thi Huyen - 22040536
Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc - 22040525

Word count: 2172

Date of submission: 7 December, 2023

Hanoi, 2023
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Executive Summary........................................................................................ 3
II. Technical description..................................................................................... 3
III. Evaluation Report........................................................................................ 5
Innovation in design, concept and technological application.......................... 5
Suitability for use.............................................................................................8
User-friendliness..............................................................................................9
Advantages...................................................................................................... 9
Contributions................................................................................................. 10
References.......................................................................................................... 12

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I. Executive Summary

Perovskite solar cell (PSC) is a class of solar cells based on mixed organic–inorganic halide
perovskites. The very first efficient solid-state perovskite cells were reported in 2012 and had
rapid progress in the following years. The confirmed efficiency of PSC had a continuous
increase and is still far from fully optimized, bringing a tantalizing prospect of higher energy
conversion efficiencies and significantly lower processing costs. PSC has numerous
advantages, such as ease of production, strong solar absorption, low non-radiative carrier
recombination rates, and reasonably high carrier mobility; however, there are some
drawbacks, including toxic issues from lead or quite rapid degradation (Green, M. et al.,
2014). This report will provide some background information about PSC’s technical
description and also the reasons for nominating it. By presenting a compelling case for the
significant contributions of PSCs to the field of renewable energy, this nomination seeks to
honor their influence and potential as a transformative force in the scientific and
technological landscape.

II. Technical description

● Category of the entry: Renewable energy technologies, solar technology advances

● General name of the entry: Perovskite solar cell (PSC)

● Designer information:

According to BCC Research Report "Perovskite Solar Cells: Materials, Manufacturing and
Global Markets" by Margareth Gagliardi, the inception of perovskite solar cells can be traced
back to the year 1839, when an esteemed German scientist named Gustav Rose while
traveling to Russia, fortuitously stumbled upon a novel calcium titanate-based mineral in the
Ural Mountains (Gagliardi, M., 2018). The first incorporation of perovskite materials into a
solar cell was reported in 2009 by Tsutomu Miyasaka from Toin University of Yokohama,
Japan, in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. That solar cell had a power
conversion efficiency of only 3.8 percent. In 2012, Mike Lee and Henry Snaith from the
University of Oxford made a breakthrough discovery that perovskites can remain stable when
in contact with holes in solids. This led to the development of thin-film perovskite solar cells
without the need for a mesoporous scaffold, which has achieved impressive efficiencies of
over 10%. This trend has continued, with new records for single-junction perovskite solar cell

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efficiency being set every year since 2015. Furthermore, since at least 2016, perovskite
silicon tandem solar cell records have consistently surpassed those of single-junction solar
cells. In 2018, researchers from Oxford Solar Power and Berlin-Helmholtz-Zentrum have
alternately broken this record. It is predicted that in 2022, the latter will achieve a record
efficiency of 32.5%.

● Technical description:

Perovskite solar cells are a type of thin-film solar cell that utilizes a perovskite-structure
compound as the light-absorbing layer. In this context, perovskite or perovskite structure
refers to the general chemical structure adapted from a mineral called perovskite. The
structure of a perovskite solar cell can be described as basically three layers, similar to other
third-generation photovoltaic cells (including new concepts of batteries such as concentrator
batteries, quantum dot batteries, and dye-sensitized batteries) (Tycoon Energy, 2022). Three
layers include the perovskite absorbing layer sandwiched in between two electrode layers.
However, in reality, there are more than just three layers in a perovskite solar cell to improve
effectiveness. Another layer might be set between the perovskite and electrodes as well,
aiming to draw out specific charges.

Figure 1: The typical arrangement of a perovskite solar cell includes a transparent

conductive oxide (TCO), an electron transport layer (ETL), the light-absorbing perovskite
material, a hole transporting layer (HTL), and a metal electrode (Source: ResearchGate).

Perovskite solar panels use sunlight to convert to electricity. When sunlight strikes the panel,
the photons in the light are absorbed by the perovskite absorbing layer. This absorption

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causes electrons to be released from their atoms, leaving behind "holes" in the surface (which
are the missing electrons). The free electrons and holes, referred to as electron-hole pairs, get
separated by an electric field within the perovskite substance. This separation drives the
electrons to flow towards one electrode, while the holes flow towards the other electrode. As
a result, an electric current is generated from this flow, which then can be used to power
devices. The electrodes are connected to an external circuit, which allows the current to flow
out of the panel and be used to power devices. The circuit also ensures that the electrons and
holes recombine at the electrodes, preventing the loss of energy.

Figure 2: A simplified diagram of how perovskite solar cells work (Source: SolarReviews).

III. Evaluation Report

Innovation in design, concept and technological application

What first makes perovskite solar cells stand out as the most influential advancement at the
moment is their groundbreaking innovations in design, concept and technological application.

Firstly, perovskite solar panels’ success partially results from its distinctive design structure
compared to conventional counterparts, especially the popular silicon-based ones. PSCs
employ a class of materials characterized by a perovskite crystal lattice arrangement,
typically composed of mixed organic-inorganic halide perovskites in an ABX3 structure.

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 Figure 3: The crystalline perovskite structure (Source: ResearchGate).

In an ABX3 pattern, 'A' represents an organic cation (such as methylammonium or

formamidinium), 'B' indicates a metal cation (like lead or tin), and 'X' denotes a halide anion
(for instance, iodide or bromide) (Ghosh et al., 2022). In contrast, silicon cells rely on a
crystalline lattice made of pure silicon atoms. Because of that, when making perovskite solar
cells, their properties or materials can be tailored or adjusted to receive the highest amount of
energy across a broader spectrum, which is hugely limited in silicon's rigid lattice structure
(Williams, 2023). And as a result, this flexibility and tunability of perovskite solar cells paves
the way for its enhanced light absorption capabilities and overall efficiency.

Secondly, perovskite solar cells are actualizing the concept of improving efficiency while
lowering manufacturing costs. As the efficiency of these cells is of considerable significance,
more energy will be absorbed in every cell, enabling the production of thinner cell films, and
consequently reducing material cost. It is recorded by Oxford PV (2020), a pioneer company
in the field of perovskite solar cells, that the power generation of 35kg of perovskite equals
that of 7 tons of silicon, which indicates the use of materials in producing solar panels can be
reduced by a hundred times. In addition, their cost-effective manufacturing using flexible
techniques like solution-based deposition further drives down production expenses.

Another noteworthy innovation of perovskite cells lies in their potential for tandem cell
integration and exploration in various applications. Tandem solar cells are made from two or
more types of solar cells with the aim of absorbing as much sunlight as possible and
minimizing the spectral limitations in each type of cell. Researchers have been experimenting
to integrate perovskite cells with other solar cell types and gained the very first success in a

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perovskite-silicon tandem cell (Cuthbertson, 2023). This perovskite-silicon tandem cell
breaks the current world record for solar cell efficiency, marking at 32.5% – higher than
perovskite and silicon cells separately. By investing in this technology, it is just in the near
future to achieve a higher overall efficiency of solar technology. What is more, the potential
integration into unconventional surfaces and settings is another notable application of solar
cells from perovskite. The flexibility in the fabrication of perovskite cells enables the creation
of thin, lightweight, and even bendable films. As a result, the thin-film nature of these
perovskite cells opens doors for diverse applications, from integrating solar technology into
building materials like windows to developing portable and flexible electronic devices such
as wearable electronics or transparent coatings for structures. This adaptability marks a
departure from the rigid structures of traditional solar cells, ushering in a new era of versatile
solar technology.

Figure 4: Perovskite photovoltaic glass was established in a model house in Fujisawa

Sustainable Smart Town (Source: Panasonic Group).

With all these innovative and creative aspects, perovskite batteries are considered to be a
good candidate for an alternative solution, overcoming the limitations of silicon batteries -
this is also what all technological developments aim for (Mr. Ted Sargent - Teacher Professor
at the Department of Chemistry and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northwestern
University (USA))

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Suitability for use

Perovskite solar cells have sparked considerable interest due to their potential to revolutionize
the solar industry especially when it comes to their suitability for use. The first development
potential is its highly efficient power generation. It was reported in 2009 by Tsutomu
Miyasaka and colleagues that perovskite-based solar cells had a power conversion efficiency
(PCE) of 3.8%. According to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2022), perovskite cells
exhibit remarkable efficiency gains at above 26.1%, and it is expected that this figure will
increase to over 30% in the near future.

Figure 5: The efficiency records for perovskite PV cells, compared to other PV technologies,
show a current best of 25.7% for single-junction perovskite cells, as of January 26, 2022
(Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory).

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In addition to the potential for high energy conversion efficiency, perovskite solar cells have
lower production costs than silicon-based cells due to their low energy-intensive construction
method, requiring low temperatures and expensive equipment, making them an appealing
option for large-scale renewable energy deployment.

User-friendliness

Perovskite solar cells are a promising alternative to traditional silicon-based solar cells due to
their lightweight and flexible nature. This allows for easy installation on various surfaces
such as glass, plastic, or metal. They can also be seamlessly integrated into different
applications, including curved surfaces like building facades or wearable devices, offering a
high level of design flexibility and adaptability. Unlike traditional silicon solar cells,
perovskite solar cells can be produced in a variety of colors and patterns, making them more
visually appealing and adaptable to different environments. This adds an element of
customization and personalization for users. Additionally, perovskite solar cells have a wide
range of potential applications, including rooftop solar panels, building-integrated
photovoltaics (BIPV), wearable electronics, and flexible solar panels. Their versatility makes
them a more user-friendly option for a broader spectrum of users.

Figure 6: Colored perovskite solar cells

Advantages

It is undeniable that perovskite solar cells have significant advantages of performance,

applicability and sustainability for users due to their advanced structures such as flexible

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cells, cells with a carbon electrode, semi transparent cells, tandem cells or “switchable” cells
(Zuo et al., 2016). Firstly, perovskites technology can easily manufacture and decrease capital
expenditure because they rely on abundant materials, such as methyl ammonia, lead, and
iodine. Secondly, the band gap of perovskite solar cells can be modified through control of
the composition of the perovskite material. Besides, perovskite materials can absorb wide
wavelengths of light, which makes them suitable for unique applications like Agrivoltaics,
tandem to complement Silicon or other PV materials and to be placed in places where silicon
PVs do not function well. Moreover, perovskite-based solar cells are showing an impressive
rise in efficiency over the last decade and recent studies have even passed 30% while
silicon-based solar cells are limited to around 29%, which hopefully will allow for
high-performance and low-cost PVs. PSCs also have a lower weight than glass-based silicon
PVs. Another advantage is that perovskite materials can be printed or painted over flexible
surfaces and enable solar windows, entire rooftops and more since they are
solution-processable. Not only can perovskite materials enable transparent panels to be
integrated into buildings or devices, but they are also high return on investment.
Furthermore, soluble production processes are highly efficient in terms of energy and
material waste. Last but not least, most perovskite panels can be recyclable, even reach 100%
recyclability rate (The Advantages of Perovskite Solar Technology, 2023).

Contributions

Perovskite solar cells made a major contribution to solar energy exploitation with high
efficiency. Based on the huge advantages, PSCs are used in many technologies from
photodetector, wearable power source to water photolysis (Zuo et al., 2016). Actually, there is
a company named Saule Technologies which created innumerable promising PSCs’
applications. Firstly, in 2016, the first real-life application of perovskite solar cells which is a
mobile phone charger that operates under artificial light was introduced. Secondly, a
semi-transparent, A4-sized perovskite module was created in 2018 and tested internationally
in Poland and Japan. Last but not least, solar carport, a charging station for electric vehicles,
is the third application of PSCs in the electromobility market (Saule Technologies, n.d.). All
of the mentioned applications have the potential for mass production and are widely used.
Steve Albrecht, a perovskite researcher at the Technical University of Berlin, talked about the
PSCs’ potential that the material was going to be scaled to a large volume in the near future
(Peplow, 2023).

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Figure 7: Mobile phone charger (Source: Saule Technologies).

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 Figure 8: A4 - sized perovskite module (Source: Saule Technologies).

Figure 9: Solar Carport (Source: Saule Technologies).

In a nutshell, this report includes three main content sections namely executive summary,
technical description, and nomination for the nominee Perovskites Solar Cells. The material
of PSCs is outstanding in concept and design, user-friendliness, and creative use of
technology. This achievement is promising and potential to be widely used in the efficient
exploitation of solar power if they can address the stability issue.

References

1. BCC Research Editorial. (2022, July 5). A History of Perovskite Solar Cells. BCC
Research Blog. https://blog.bccresearch.com/a-history-of-perovskite-solar-cells
2. Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart. (n.d.). Photovoltaic Research | NREL.
https://www.nrel.gov/pv/cell-efficiency.html
3. Cuthbertson, A. (2023, May 19). Solar panel efficiency to increase 50% with first
production of ‘miracle’ tandem cells. The Independent.
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/solar-panels-perovskite-renewable-energy-b2342
287.html

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4. Explained: Why perovskites could take solar cells to new heights. (2022, July 15).
MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
https://news.mit.edu/2022/perovskites-solar-cells-explained-0715
5. Ghosh, P., Sundaram, S., Nixon, T., & Krishnamurthy, S. (2022). Influence of
nanostructures in perovskite solar cells. In Elsevier eBooks (pp. 646–660).
https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-815732-9.00054-1
6. Green, M. A., Ho‐Baillie, A., & Snaith, H. J. (2014). The emergence of perovskite
solar cells. Nature Photonics, 8(7), 506–514.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2014.134
7. Mora‐Seró, I. (2018). How do perovskite solar cells work? Joule, 2(4), 585–587.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2018.03.020
8. Oxford PV hits new world record for solar cell | Oxford PV. (n.d.).
https://www.oxfordpv.com/news/oxford-pv-hits-new-world-record-solar-cell
9. Peplow, M. (2023). A new kind of solar cell is coming: is it the future of green
energy? Nature, 623(7989), 902–905. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-03714-y
10. Perovskite solar cell. Encyclopedia.
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12. Pham, H. (2023, May 2). Pin mặt trời Perovskite và những thách thức trong sản xuất.
SUNEMIT. https://sunemit.com/pin-mat-troi-perovskite
13. Saule Technologies. (2023, June 7). About – Saule Technologies.
https://sauletech.com/about/
14. The advantages of perovskite solar technology. (2023, October 19). Perovskite-Info.
https://www.perovskite-info.com/advantages-perovskite-solar-technology
15. Tycorun. (2023, November 27). Introduction of perovskite solar cell and its pros and
cons. The Best Lithium Ion Battery Suppliers | Lithium Ion Battery Manufacturers -
TYCORUN ENERGY.
https://www.takomabattery.com/introduction-of-perovskite-solar-cell-and-its-pros-and
-cons/
16. Verma, A. K. (2023). Challenges and potential of perovskite solar cells. Journal of
Ravishankar University, 35(2), 68–75. https://doi.org/10.52228/jrub.2023-35-2-6
17. What are Perovskite Solar Cells? (n.d.). Ossila.
https://www.ossila.com/pages/what-is-perovskite-solar-cell

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18. Zientara, B. (2022, September 6). Perovskite solar cells: why they’re the future of
solar power. Solar Reviews.
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19. Zuo, C., Bolink, H. J., Han, H., Huang, J., Cahen, D., & Ding, L. (2016). Advances in
perovskite solar cells. Advanced Science, 3(7).
https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.201500324

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