Australian researchers have passed a major international milestone for the durability of next generation perovskite solar cells, a key step towards the commercialisation of ultra low cost solar panels. In results published in the journal Science, scientists from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales have passed strict durability tests for long-term durability under real-world conditions, overcoming some of the degradation challenges that have plagued the promising perovskite cells.
Next generation perovskite solar cells have shown promise as a pathway to lower cost solar panels, as they can be produced from more readily available materials, and avoid reliance on the expensive, hyper-pure, silicon wafers used on conventional solar panels. “Perovskites are a really promising prospect for solar energy systems,” the University of Sydney’s professor Anita Ho-Baillie said. “They are a very inexpensive, 500 times thinner than silicon and are therefore flexible and ultra-lightweight. They also have tremendous energy enabling properties and high solar conversion rates.”
However, the main challenge for perovskite solar cells has been durability, with the perovskite materials prone to breaking down when exposed to harsh environmental conditions. It has been this tendency to degrade without substantial protection that has limited the commercialisation potential of perovskite solar cells. “Perovskite cells will need to stack up against the current commercial standards. That’s what is so exciting about our research. We have shown that we can drastically improve their thermal stability,” Professor Ho-Baillie said.
Source: Renew Economy
Finnish site 
Global site