New-Generation Solar Cells Offer Low Production Cost, High Efficiency

Next-Generation Solar Cells: Low Production Cost, High Efficiency Şule Erten Ela, Professor at the Energy Department of Ege University Solar Energy Institute, said that next-generation solar cells have easy production, low costs and high efficiency. In the second and final part of a two-part dossier on new technologies in solar energy, which stands out among renewable energy sources, next-generation solar cells were addressed. Environmental problems caused by fossil fuels, on which the world economy depends heavily for energy, are increasing the search for clean energy sources. While solar energy leads these sources, solar cell systems that produce electricity from solar energy are considered candidates to become the most widespread energy production systems of the future. Ela noted that solar cells used to generate electricity from the sun are divided into three categories, stating that the first generation consists of silicon, the second generation of thin-film solar cells, and the third (next) generation of solar cells comprises dye-sensitized solar cells, heterojunction solar cells, plastic solar cells, solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells, tandem and perovskite-based nanotechnology solar cells.

Ela, pointing out that next-generation solar cells provide many advantages, made the following explanations on the subject;

"The main advantage is production costs. The glass, metal oxide and dye you use do not have much cost. There is also the ease of production technology; since it is produced through wet processes, this is an advantage and most importantly, of course, their efficiency. The latest efficiencies in perovskite solar cells were measured at 25.7%, and in perovskite silicon tandem solar cells at 32.5%, which are verified efficiencies." Ela emphasized that solar cells are the most studied and invested-in technology in the solar energy field, noting that among next-generation solar cells, perovskite solar cells are the most researched due to their high efficiency. Ela continued as follows; "The reason why perovskite solar cells are not yet on the market in our country and in the world market is stability issues. You produce solar cells but you cannot ensure their stability, material degradation occurs. For instance, perovskites are very sensitive to moisture. They can degrade in humid air. Perovskite solar cells have an efficiency equivalent to silicon and have the potential to be used everywhere. I can say that whoever overcomes this stability issue and takes the technology will open up a major scientific breakthrough. Not only will they overcome this problem, but they will also bring this technology to their country."

"Production is very easy and also recyclable"

Ela mentioned that solar cells can be used in indoor applications as well as in agriculture and greenhouses, noting that next-generation cells are used in sensor technologies in the "Internet of Things" field, and that they are a very important technology since they produce the electricity to power the sensor. While production is easy, Ela noted that next-generation solar cells require deep knowledge accumulation, particularly in physics and chemistry. "Next-generation solar cells are produced through wet processes. By wet process, I mean the following; imagine that an organic compound dissolves in acetone. You prepare a dye solution and easily coat it on a surface using a method. Through wet coating processes, this encompasses very easy production processes with high electrical costs but without complex procedures. Therefore, production is very easy and also recyclable," she concluded.

"Turkey's future is investing in solar energy"

Ela, drawing attention to the fact that the energy of the sun in one hour has the potential to meet the world's energy needs for one year, said that in the future, when fossil fuels are depleted, solar energy can replace fossil fuels as both a green and unlimited source. "Given that the places where oil is found are currently considered valuable, when fossil fuels are depleted, sunny places will become more valuable. Turkey's future is also investing in solar energy because the sun is truly abundant here, and therefore I think this is important. It is very important to direct young people to this field, to develop this technology we have learned in our country, and also to send them abroad for short periods and encourage them with groups that know the business to work on new technological studies in the solar energy field," she concluded her remarks.   Source