Hanwha Q Cells - Page 2

Hanwha Qcells has announced that it will supply its perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells for a lunar surface solar power demonstration project, aiming to test the technology’s viability in the harsh conditions of space. Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH, the company’s German unit, will provide perovskite-based tandem cell samples for the Space Science & Technology Evaluation Facility - First Flight Lunar In-Situ Solar Cell Experiment (SSTEF-1), a project funded by NASA and led by US-based Aegis Aerospace Inc.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), a nonprofit applied research unit under the Georgia Institute of Technology, selected Hanwha Qcells’ tandem devices for this mission to evaluate solar cell performance beyond Earth. The samples will be mounted on the surface of a lunar lander and exposed directly to the space environment, including vacuum, extreme temperature swings, ultraviolet radiation and cosmic radiation, in order to gather real-world performance and reliability data.

Hanwha Solutions has reduced its recently announced contested rights offering, but refrained from reducing Qcells’ tandem investment plan.

Hanwha’s board approved a new 1.71 trillion won capital raise, down from 1.8 trillion won in the previous revision and 2.4 trillion won in the original March plan. The cuts came mainly from the financing structure and debt-repayment portion, while the 907.7 billion won allocation for perovskite tandem and related solar manufacturing investment was left unchanged.

Efforts to establish global standards for perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells are gaining momentum, with the next IEC TC 82 meeting on photovoltaic energy systems set for the end of this month in Washington, D.C. The meeting will bring together major solar companies, research institutes, and government officials to debate how to define performance, durability, and safety criteria for tandem devices.

Setting an IEC standard would establish unified test methods and promote commercialization, as certification under the standard typically becomes a requirement for market entry.

Hanwha Q Cells has announced a new milestone by obtaining international standard certifications for its perovskite-silicon tandem cells. The company’s U.S. subsidiary has announced that its module equipped with these tandem cells recently received certification from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the U.S. safety testing agency Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

The certification process validated the efficiency of Hanwha Q Cells’ large-area M10 (330.56cm²) tandem cell, which had previously received recognition from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany last December. This certification confirmed the power generation efficiency of the tandem cell, which combines perovskite and crystalline silicon cells to absorb different ranges of light, thereby increasing power generation efficiency.

Qcells has announced it has achieved successful stress test validation for its tandem modules, according to both IEC and UL certification standards. These tests also complied with tandem-specific requirements for power measurements, it was reported. The standard-compliant execution of the stress tests and measurements has been independently confirmed by TÜV Rheinland. 

By successfully passing the most critical stress tests for solar cell reliability, especially considering tandem-specific restrictions on power measurement, Qcells has demonstrated that tandem technology can now meet the performance benchmarks that set the groundwork for commercial acceptance.