Triple junction solar modules based on perovskites and silicon for high performance, low-cost and small environmental footprint

The TRIUMPH project aims to initiate the development of a future PV cell technology node, based on an advanced triple junction cell concept, that is widely considered to be the next technology node to come after tandems. Presently, there is considerable amount of attention and research and development (R&D) activities devoted to Pk/Si tandems and already promising cell efficiencies, reliability and outdoor performance results have been obtained. The highest efficiency reported for a 2-terminal (2T) Pk/Si tandem is 29.8%, which has already gone past the Auger limit of Si. Therefore, in TRIUMPH, we plan to venture a step further than tandems by targeting TRIple junction devices, that can add the extra “OOMPH” (hence the name TRIUMPH) needed to reach efficiencies even >33%. These 2T triple junction devices will be based on perovskites for the middle and top cells and silicon for the bottom cell and will build on the knowledge garnered in the field of Pk/Si tandems. Additionally, cost-effective processing techniques that are industrially viable will be selected for scale-up developments, with minimal upscaling performance loss and degradation during reliability testing and outdoor monitoring. As we enter the tera-watt (TW) era of PV deployment, using earth-abundant materials and enforcing circularity become necessities. Towards this objective, we not only explore options that reduce critical raw materials (CRM) such as silver (Ag) and indium (In) in the triple junction devices, but also apply design for recycling principles to the triple junction modules. The consortium consists of 14 complementary partners from both research institutions and industry, each bringing their best forte to the table, which will help to establish the pathway and the value chain for future multi-junction modules. In this way, TRIUMPH would help the European Union (EU) to maintain its technological leadership in the PV domain for the future generation of PV technologies.