Project
Device Integration
The project comes together by combining expertise in solar engineering, chemistry and physics in order to create the world’s first singlet fission enhanced silicon solar cell. Here we integrate all other aspects of the project to produce and characterise singlet fission enhanced silicon solar cells with minimal disruption to existing industrial silicon solar cell manufacturing.
Module Integration, Testing and Efficiency
Upscaling from the labscale to widespread implementation of OMEGA Silicon means moving from solar cells to solar modules. Accomplishing this requires compatibility with industrial processes and ensuring the long-term stability of modules.
Optical Design and Light Trapping
Maximising efficiency requires optimising absorption in the organic multi exciton coatings without compromising the light-trapping performance critical to silicon solar cell performance.
Organic - Inorganic Interface Engineering
The interface between the underlaying silicon solar cell and the organic multi exciton coatings is critical to ensure passivation and maximum efficiency in the underlaying silicon solar cell while promoting additional photocurrent from the singlet fission process.
Photochemistry and New Materials
Newly developed materials will be non-toxic and contain earth-abundant constituents, while aiming for long-term photochemical stability and industrial scalability. Photochemical spectroscopy on candidate materials ensures quality control for device fabrication, while aging studies identify and control potential aging mechanisms and interaction with encapsulation materials.
Technoeconomic Analysis and Roadmap
A critical part of the laboratory to production line translation of any technology is ensuring the cost/benefit analysis motivates industry. Here we study existing and potential implementations of a singlet fission silicon solar cells and modules, including setting directions towards cost-effective processes for including singlet fission into PERC, IBC, TOPCon and HJT architectures. An assessment of the technologies will motivate pilot line tests in an industrial context.
