The University of Queensland (UQ) and Halocell Energy have announced they will be working together to advance tin-based perovskite solar panels.
UQ's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) researcher Dr. Peng Chen has secured almost $200,000 through the latest Australia’s Economic Accelerator Ignite funding round to accelerate the commercial production of tin-based perovskite solar panels. Dr. Chen and his team - including UQ’s Professor Lianzhou Wang and AIBN’s Dr Dongxu He – have replaced the lead with tin, recently setting a world-record efficiency for lead-free perovskite solar cells. Now, Halocell Energy and UQ have decided to take the project to the next phase and scale up for real world use in lead-free solar panels.
“There is a huge demand for solar cells that are cost-effective and efficient to manufacture, but also eco-friendly,” Dr. Chen said. “By replacing the heavy metal lead with lightweight tin, we can deliver comparable efficiency and sustainable solar power technology".
The funding boost will enable the team to move beyond lab-based prototypes and to real-world testing.
“Our prototypes have already shown strong results in the lab, scoring a world record for a certified efficiency of 16.65%, and now the next step is to prove their performance outside these controlled conditions,” Dr. Chen said. “Over the next 12 months, we will be testing a range of applications outside the lab, and in both indoor and outdoor environments. The next phase will see our solar panels integrated with wireless home appliances, unmanned drones and wearable electronics.”
Paul Moonie from Halocell Energy expressed enthusiasm to be partnering with AIBN to help transition the research from the lab to commercially viable products: “We’re thrilled to be part of this project and to help fast-track the transition from cutting-edge research to real-world applications”, he said. “This initiative will help create the first generation of lead-free perovskite solar panels, unlocking a multi-million-dollar market in indoor solar cells, portable electronics and smart home applications. We love working with the team at AIBN - their world-class expertise and shared commitment to sustainable innovation make them the ideal partner for this venture.”
