In a collaboration between USA based MiaSolé Hi-Tech Corp and European Solliance Solar Research a power conversion efficiency of 26.5% on a tandem solar cell was established. The architecture combines two thin-film solar cell technologies: a top rigid semi-transparent perovskite solar cell with a bottom flexible copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) cell.

This impressive efficiency was achieved by optimizing the bandgap and the efficiency of both the rigid semi-transparent perovskite top cell and the flexible CIGS bottom cell.

The CIGS was roll to roll produced on steel foil, with an impressive power conversion efficiency of 20.0%.

“Rollable, ultra light, solar cells and modules have dramatically expanded the applications of solar energy in infrastructure, electrical vehicles, and mobile energy markets. MiaSolé has delivered a rollable solar cell efficiency of 20.56% and a large area module efficiency of 18.64% on production ready equipment, and we will keep breaking more world records together with Solliance to build perovskite/CIGS tandem technology for the future.” Added Dr. Jie Zhang, CEO of MiaSolé.

The stable and scalable semi-transparent perovskite solar cell has been developed on glass. This cell architecture is currently transferred to a flexible carrier enabling a fully flexible, highly efficient solar foil. The device was optimized to maximize the visible light conversion and at the same time to maximize the infrared light transparency in order to allow the majority of infrared light to reach the bottom CIGS cell. This approach resulted in an efficiency of 17.5% for the top device, measured at the maximum powerpoint, tracked for 5 minutes. At Solliance TNO, imec, and TU/e contributed to realize this perovskite solar cell.

About MiaSolé

MiaSolé Hi-Tech Corp. is a total solution provider of rollable thin film solar technology. MiaSolé’s proprietary turnkey equipment lines, CIGS process technologies, CIG sputtering target technologies, advanced automation and spare parts services provide customers  everything they need to produce their own innovative high-efficiency solar products. Founded in 2004, MiaSolé has evolved into the world leader in thin-film solar module efficiency and offers the largest commercially available rollable shatterproof solar modules up to 540w/piece at weight 2.2 kg/m². For more information on MiaSolé, please visit http://www.miasole.com/.

About Eindhoven University of Technology

TU/e profiles itself as a leading, international university specialized in engineering science & technology, with major research activities in the field of solar energy. Within the field of hybrid perovskite solar cells and in collaboration with Solliance, research is carried out at the departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry (Prof. R.A.J. Janssen) and Applied Physics (Prof. M. Creatore). The research encompasses the synthesis and characterization of hybrid perovskite solar cells as well as interface engineering by atomic layer deposition.

About Solliance Solar Research

Solliance is public-private partnership of companies, R&D institutes and universities from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, working in thin film photovoltaic solar energy and led by imec and TNO. In order to strengthen the region’s position as a world player in PV, Solliance is creating the required synergy by consolidating and coordinating the activities of 250 researchers in industry, at research institutes and universities.

Various state-of-the-art laboratories and pilot production lines are jointly used for dedicated research programs which are executed in close cooperation with the solar business community.

Solliance offers participation in its research programs and opens up its lab facilities to new entrants, either from industry or in research. On the basis of clear Intellectual Property (IP) agreements, each industrial partner can participate in this research effort, or alternatively, hire equipment and experts to further develop its own technology.

About imec

Imec is the world-leading research and innovation hub in nano-electronics, energy and digital technologies. The combination of our widely acclaimed leadership in microchip technology and profound software and ICT expertise is what makes us unique. By leveraging our world-class infrastructure and local and global ecosystem of partners across a multitude of industries, we create groundbreaking innovation in application domains such as healthcare, smart cities and mobility, logistics and manufacturing, and energy.

As a trusted partner for companies, start-ups and universities we bring together close to 3,500 brilliant minds from over 70 nationalities. Imec is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium and also has distributed R&D groups at a number of Flemish universities, in the Netherlands, Taiwan, USA, China, and offices in India and Japan. In 2015, imec’s revenue (P&L) totaled 415 million euro and of iMinds which is integrated in imec as of September 21, 2016 52 million euro. Further information on imec can be found at www.imec.be

Imec is a registered trademark for the activities of IMEC International (a legal entity set up under Belgian law as a “stichting van openbaar nut”), imec Belgium (IMEC vzw supported by the Flemish Government), imec the Netherlands (Stichting IMEC Nederland, part of Holst Centre which is supported by the Dutch Government), imec Taiwan (IMEC Taiwan Co.) and imec China (IMEC Microelectronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.) and imec India (Imec India Private Limited), imec Florida (IMEC USA nanoelectronics design center).

Imec is also a partner in EnergyVille (www.energyville.be), an association of the Flemish research centers KU Leuven, VITO, imec and UHasselt in the field of sustainable energy and intelligent energy systems.

About TNO

TNO is an independent research organization of the Netherlands and connects people and knowledge to create innovations that boost the competitive strength of industry and the well-being of society in a sustainable way. This is our mission and it is what drives us, the over 3,200 professionals at TNO, in our work every day. We believe in the joint creation of economic and social value and we work in collaboration with partners and focus on different domains:

• Buildings, Infrastructure & Maritime : ‘Robust constructions, sustainable use’
• The Circular Economy and the Environment: ‘Directing and accelerating sustainability’
• Defense, Safety and Security: ‘We’re putting our knowledge and technology to work for safety and security’
• Energy: ‘Faster towards a sustainable energy supply’
• Healthy living: ‘Focusing on participation, not on the disease’
• Industry: ‘Innovating for employment, welfare and well-being’
• Information & Communication Technology: ‘Interpreting and accelerating digital transformation’
• Strategic Analysis & Policy: ‘Turning complex issues into concrete innovations’
• Traffic and Transport: ‘Helping to create live able, sustainable cities’

Innovation with purpose is what TNO stands for. We develop knowledge not for its own sake, but for practical application.