Solar panels made of "miracle material" will finally be produced in China

independent.co.uk:  A startup in China is going to start producing ultra-efficient solar panels from the so-called "miracle material" perovskite.

Next-generation solar cells will be produced at half the cost of traditional silicon cells, with 50 percent more efficiency, according to researchers from Nanjing University who have made a design breakthrough that made mass production possible.

"The raw materials for making perovskite cells are cheap and plentiful, which makes the cost of producing these elements only one—twentieth compared to traditional solar cells," Professor Tan Hairen from Nanjing University told state media.

"In addition, they are easier to produce and they can be produced in one factory. Even with the addition of other elements, the total cost of production is only half the cost of traditional silicon elements."

Professor Tang has created a startup called Renshine Solar to promote the commercialization of the technology, and has already signed a government agreement to build a production line in Jiangsu Province this summer.

The plant is expected to reach a capacity of 150 megawatts by September, according to the South China Morning Post, with perovskite solar panels built for use on roofs, walls or placed on electric vehicles to increase their range.

The researchers noted that perovskite-based solar cells (PSC) are capable of retaining more than 90% of their original performance after 600 hours of continuous operation, making them suitable for commercial use.

The researchers said next-generation solar cells could also be used in applications ranging from building-embedded panels to space-based power generation.

"Due to lower manufacturing costs, low temperature processing capabilities, continuous production, and the ability to configure a wide band gap, PSCs may become the preferred candidate for high—efficiency tandem solar cells," they wrote in the study. a detailed description of the new design that will be put into production.

"Given the rapid progress in photovoltaic performance, PSCs are considered ideal candidates for integration with other systems to implement new innovative technologies."