The University of Sydney has been awarded AU$7.25 million (approximately US$5.18 million) by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to accelerate the commercialization of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell technology.
The funding was awarded to Professor Anita Ho-Baillie, the University's inaugural John Hooke Chair of Nanoscience, who is partnering with Australian solar panel manufacturer Unison Solar Energy to take the technology closer to commercial viability.
“There isn’t much room for silicon to improve because its theoretical limit is only 30 percent – but for perovskite-silicon tandem, it is about 40 percent,” said Professor Ho-Baillie.
Her research team has already demonstrated the greater efficiency of the technology, achieving Australia's first 30 percent efficient silicon-perovskite tandems on both small and large areas, independently confirmed by recognized test centers. The team has also reported tandem cells passing industry-standard tests against thermal extremes and moisture. The new funding will allow Professor Ho-Baillie and her team to prove the reliability of silicon-perovskite cells under a series of industry standards, with the ultimate goal of improving the cells' ability to maintain conversion efficiency over the life expectancy of solar panels.
"Our next round of testing will prove this technology's ability to cope with UV light and mechanical stresses," Professor Ho-Baillie said.
The funding was made available through ARENA's latest Ultra Low-Cost Solar PV Funding Round and will be delivered over five years, commencing in 2027.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for us to make research we've been doing at the University for the last six years translational. We'd love to be able to see it through, to get Si-perovskite technology to the stage of being commercially viable for clean power generation."
Unison Solar Energy CEO Dr. Allen Guo welcomed the funding partnership. "We're delighted to be working with the University of Sydney to develop next generation Australian-made solar technologies that withstand Australia's harsh conditions," he said.
