SBIR Phase I: Transparent Conducting Nanofiber Composite Electrodes for High Efficiency Thin Film Tandem Solar Cells

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在开发用于串联太阳能电池应用的低成本溶液处理透明导电电极。串联太阳能电池可以由两个垂直堆叠的薄膜太阳能电池组成，每个薄膜太阳能电池被设计为吸收太阳光谱的不同区域，从而允许比单个结器件更高的效率。串联太阳能电池是一种很有前途的技术，能够实现超过25%的功率转换效率。 然而，需要在近红外光谱区域中透明超过75%的高效顶电池。目前，透明电极主要由金属氧化物制成，金属氧化物强烈吸收太阳光谱的近红外部分，显著降低了潜在的串联功率转换效率。在该项目中，PLANT PV将开发在近红外线下高度透明并能承受高加工温度的新材料，以降低成本并提高串联太阳能设备的整体功率转换效率。 该项目的更广泛/商业影响将是为串联太阳能电池应用提供在近红外线中高度透明的新型透明导电电极的潜力。 太阳能市场是目前世界上增长最快的能源领域之一。为了与传统化石燃料直接竞争，必须进一步降低安装太阳能组件的每瓦成本。基于薄膜的叠层太阳能电池具有提供高功率转换效率和低成本的潜力。 在近红外中高度透明的透明导电电极与高效宽带隙太阳能电池相结合，有望引领低成本、高效率串联太阳能电池的发展。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop low-cost solution-processed transparent conducting electrodes for tandem solar cell applications. Tandem solar cells can be comprised of two vertically stacked thin film solar cells that are each designed to absorb different regions of the solar spectrum, allowing an efficiency that is higher than a single junction device. Tandem solar cells are a promising technology that is capable of achieving more than 25% power conversion efficiency. However, a highly-efficient top cell that is more than 75% transparent in the near-infrared spectral region is required. Currently, transparent electrodes are primarily made of metal oxides, which strongly absorb in the near-infrared portion of the solar spectrum, significantly reducing the potential tandem power conversion efficiency. In this project, PLANT PV will develop new materials that are highly transparent in the near infrared and can withstand high processing temperatures to lower the cost and improve the overall power conversion efficiency of tandem solar devices. The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to provide a novel transparent conducting electrode that is highly transparent in the near infrared for tandem solar cell applications. Solar energy market is currently one of the fastest growing energy sectors in the world. To compete directly with traditional fossil fuels, the cost per watt of installed solar modules must be further reduced. Thin-film based tandem solar cells have the potential to provide high power conversion efficiency and low cost. The transparent conducting electrodes that is highly transparent in the near infrared combined with highly efficient wide-band gap solar cells is expected to lead the way to low-cost, high-efficiency tandem solar cells.