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TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation’s (TOKYO: 6502) determination to take photovoltaic power to new levels of high efficiency and low cost is bearing fruit, according to Progress in Photovoltaics. In its most recent survey of technology advances, the highly respected journal lists film-based and glass-based perovskite photovoltaic modules developed by Toshiba as having the world highest power conversion efficiency levels^*1.

Perovskite solar cells are of immense interest to researchers working to advance photovoltaic power. Modules with an active layer made up of perovskite crystals offer great promise in terms of energy efficiency, and compounds that produce crystals with the perovskite structure are cheaply manufactured. The main problem has been to increase device size and the energy conservation efficiency, and this is where Toshiba is making progress.

Toshiba’s industry-leading achievements recognized by Progress in Photovoltaics cover glass and film solar cells. The module formed on a glass substrate is 802cm² (27.20cm x 29.50cm) and has an 11.6% power conversion efficiency, the world’s highest in the “Module” category. The film-based module, announced in June 2018, is 703cm² (24.15cm x 29.10cm), realizes an efficiency of 11.7%, the world’s highest in the category of “Submodule”.

The results were announced in the journal’s highly regarded Solar cell efficiency tables (version 52)^*2, and the reported efficiencies have been independently confirmed by Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), an internationally recognized testing organization.

Toshiba’s research has centered on developing a printing process for forming perovskite layers on larger photovoltaic module. By using the composition of the printing ink to control the chemical reaction between PbI₂ and MAI, Toshiba successfully crystalized, MAPbI₃ and also adjusted and controlled crystal growth conditions to improve the uniformity and homogeneity of a layer formed on a larger area^*3. This has realized larger modules with a power conversion efficiency of over 10%, a major step to practical application.

Toshiba will continue to advance development of film-based perovskite photovoltaic module, using the barrier technology developed by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., in a project funded by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The targets are to increase module size to 900cm², the scale needed for practical application, and to improve the perovskite material to secure power conversion efficiency at a level comparable to that of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules. Toshiba’s goal is to realize photovoltaic modules with a levelized cost of electricity of 7 yen per kWh.

The 802cm² (27.20cm x 29.50cm) glass substrate modules is the world’s
largest, and delivers the highest power conversion efficiency level yet achieved

 

Note:

[1]

The efficiency of the conversion of solar energy into electrical energy. 

[2]

M.A. Green, et al, “Solar cell efficiency tables (version 52)”, Prog Photovolt Res Appl. 2018;26:427–436.

[3]

NEDO and Toshiba Develop World's Largest Film-based Perovskite Photovoltaic Module -703cm ² module achieves 11.7% power conversion efficiency-, June 18, 2018.
https://www.toshiba.co.jp/rdc/rd/detail_e/e1806_03.html