PVTIME – On 1 December, an authoritative third-party testing organisation certified the 1.68 eV wide bandgap perovskite solar cell independently developed by the New Energy Photovoltaic Technology Team of the PetroChina Engineering Materials Research Institute, achieving a photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 25.05% and setting a world record for the third time.
This cements the team’s position as a leader in perovskite photovoltaic technology, providing a solid foundation for PetroChina to accelerate the construction of a large-scale clean power base and the replacement of distributed clean energy in oilfields.
As a core next-generation technology in global photovoltaics, perovskite cells attract widespread attention due to their exceptional efficiency potential. The theoretical conversion efficiency ceiling for single-junction perovskite cells is 33%, while that for tandem-structured perovskite cells is 43%, both of which significantly exceed the 29.4% efficiency limit of traditional crystalline silicon solar cells. Each 1% increase in cell efficiency reduces the levelised cost of electricity by 3–5%, making the overcoming of technical bottlenecks to boost perovskite cell efficiency a core focus of global photovoltaic industry competition and R&D.
Jiang Long, Director of the New Energy Materials Research Centre at the Engineering Materials Research Institute, emphasised that optimising the performance of single-junction perovskite cells is crucial for advancing tandem cell technologies. Since 2020, the team has adhered to the R&D strategy of strengthening single junction foundations to enable tandem breakthroughs, supported by the National Key R&D Program and PetroChina’s forward-looking basic research and key core technology tackling projects. Through continuous innovation, they have addressed critical challenges, including the precise regulation of a wide range of band gaps in thin-film materials, and the optimisation of high-quality crystallisation processes. They have set three world records for both 1.68 eV wide-bandgap and 1.50 eV conventional-bandgap perovskite cells.
Building on these breakthroughs, the team has moved on to developing higher-efficiency tandem cells. Their independently developed, industrial-grade silicon/perovskite and all-perovskite tandem cells have achieved certified conversion efficiencies of over 34% and 30%, respectively, with world-leading overall performance. This accomplishment marks PetroChina’s multi-track approach to perovskite cell technology, positioning the company among a select global group that masters core technologies for multiple types of perovskite solar cell.
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