A $100,000,000 solar panel investment has been unveiled that is set to go far beyond what has become accepted in photovoltaics and in terms of what is commonly accepted when it comes to traditional solar panels. Thanks to Hanwha Qcells, a startling record of 28,6% efficiency has been achieved by a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell. More than the mere figures, QCell has put forward a shocking $100 million investment towards building a pilot production line in Jincheon, South Korea, and this investment is a stepping stone to ensuring that solar technology certainly takes off at an alarming rate. Yet, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this hefty investment.
Qcell set to redefine photovoltaic principles
Qcell has always been a solar solution provider, and now Qcell is surely leading the global solar market. Thus far, solar energy has always focused on the use of silicon cells. While silicon cells were always preferred for panels. The Shockley-Queisser limit made it seem as if the commonly accepted silicon cells were far less efficient, with the numbers proving that these cells were about 30% effective. This is where Qcells seems to be coming to the rescue by introducing hybrid tandem cells that are surely capable of superceding single-junction limits, ensuring a 28.6% efficiency.
While one would expect the Qcells introduction to tandem cells to be a mere concept, it is the real deal. With the right fabrication methods, newer technology will not only be efficient but also become manufacturable and scalable as well.
An investment in solar innovation
Qcell has made a $100 million investment in order to ensure a pilot production line is established in the Jincheon facility in South Korea, where tandem cell production occurs by utilizing materials that will encourage results. The initiative is not solely focused on laying down an investment, but in showing how keen Qcell is when it comes to turning its years of research into a concrete product.
What Qcell has come to understand is that while the $100 million investment is rather steep, it could result in the production of technology that could possibly enhance solar power adoption throughout the globe. Qcell is intending to utilize fewer panels altogether that can ultimately perform far better in the long run.
Understanding where tandem cells fit in
Although perovskite has earned its position in photovoltaics, we are far from saying goodbye to perovskite despite preferences for kesterite. Qcell has gone a step further and utilized these valuable perovskites to create hybrid tandem cells. In utilizing perovskites, Qcell understands more about how cheaply these cells can be produced and is set to scale up the production process. Qcell is not looking at the lab work only, but at real-world solutions.
The pairing of perovskite cells with Q.ANTUM silicon cells has certainly unlocked the tandem structure more making hybrid tandem cells fully capable of harnessing solar power.
What could Qcell’s breakthrough mean?
In practice, these perovskite tandem skills can be used in the real world, making their way to commercial deployment. These cells are finding their place in the solar cell marketplace and have since shown their potential to grow even more in the next 10 years.
With the world edging towards solar investments, this investment would mean cleaner energy solutions around the world, far faster. Tandem technology may provide the solution needed and a solution that is far more comfortable for all.
Qcell is looking towards complementary technologies, including energy storage systems (ESS) and virtual power plants (VPPs), to ensure the solar solution is integrated more seamlessly into the grid. Qcell is ensuring that new material will multiply the power of solar cells, and with Qcell investing in research, the future of global solar panels can look rather positive.
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