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Tech

Scientists invent double-sided solar panel that generates vastly more
electricity

Back side of perovskite panel achieves more than 90 per cent of the
efficiency of the front side

Anthony Cuthbertson
Thursday 20 July 2023 09:43
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<p>Double-sided solar panels use the 'miracle material' perovskite,
which has been hailed for its potential to transform various
industries</p>

Double-sided solar panels use the 'miracle material' perovskite,
which has been hailed for its potential to transform various
industries

(iStock/ Getty Images)

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Researchers have invented a double-sided solar panel capable of
generating electricity from the Sun's energy on both sides.

The bifacial solar cell, developed at the US Department of Energy's
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), harvests reflected
sunlight hitting the back of the device, offering an unconventional
route to producing higher energy yields for less space and cost.

Typical advances to solar cell efficiency rates centre on iterative
improvements to the side facing the Sun. This new approach could
boost the energy harvesting capabilities of solar panels beyond their
theoretical limit.

"This perovskite cell can operate very effectively from either side,"
said Kai Zhu, a scientist at the Chemistry and Nanoscience Center at
NREL who led the research.

Current solar cell technologies, which use silicon as the
semiconductor material, have an efficiency rate of around 26 per cent
- higher than the 23 per cent achieved in lab tests by the front side
of the new panel.

The back side of the panel, however, achieves an efficiency of about
91-93 per cent of the front, which offers up to 20 per cent more
power overall when harvesting reflected sunlight.

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Perovskite has become a key driver of solar cell advancements in
recent years, breaking new efficiency records and providing new
pathways to creating next-generation technologies.

Earlier this week, researchers unveiled perovskite-based solar cells
capable of healing themselves when damaged by radiation in low-Earth
orbit.

Tandem silicon-perovskite solar cells have achieved lab-measured
efficiency of more than 30 per cent, and have a theoretical limit far
higher than purely silicon cells. Rapid progress with their
development has seen two separate startups announce commercial
production of the next-generation panels.

Producing the bifacial solar panels would cost more than monofacial
modules, however their capacity to produce more power could make them
more economically viable over time.

The latest research was detailed in a study, titled 'Highly efficient
bifacial single-junction perovskite solar cells', published in the
journal Joule.

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Comments

1/1Double-sided solar panel generates vastly more electricity

Double-sided solar panel generates vastly more electricity

Double-sided solar panels use the 'miracle material' perovskite,
which has been hailed for its potential to transform various
industries

iStock/ Getty Images



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