Perovskite solar cell-thermoelectric tandem system with a high efficiency of over 23%. (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Yangying; Yin, Xuewen; Zhang, Qi; Wang, Ning; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Koumoto, Kunihito; Shen, Heping; Lin, Hong
• Is Part Of: Materials today energy. Volume 12(2019)
• Page Start: 363
• Page End: 370
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: Perovskite solar cell -- Thermoelectric -- Tandem system -- Spectrum utilization; Energy development -- Periodicals; Energy industries -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Energy policy -- Periodicals; Energy development; Energy industries; Energy policy; Power resources; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtener.2019.03.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2468-6069

Abstract

Abstract: Photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) tandem system has been considered as a viable approach to fully exploit solar energy by making full use of both solar light and solar heat generation. Herein, we demonstrate an efficient perovskite solar cell (PSC)-thermoelectric (TE) hybrid system with four-terminal configuration. To balance the light-to-electricity and heat-to-electricity efficiency and ultimately realize high solar energy conversion efficiency, we performed both simulation and experiment by tuning the bandgap of top PSC. Using perovskite with a composition of CH3 NH3 Pb(I0.95 Br0.05 )3 (band gap: 1.61 eV), we achieved a state-of-the-art efficiency of over 23%, with 18.3% from the PSC and the rest contributed by heat conversion using TE module. Our work proves that the low-grade heat produced by PSCs can be recovered and utilized by thermoelectric modules, and provides a promising route to improve the utilization rate of solar radiation based on PSCs. Highlights: The low-grade heat produced by PSCs is utilized by thermoelectric modules. A high efficiency of over 23% in PSC-TE tandem system is achieved. Both simulation and experiments of PSC-TE tandem system are performed.