Scaling up the next generation of solar panels

Could this new cell design supercharge solar power generation?

Spotted: Last year, solar power accounted for three-quarters of global renewable energy capacity additions and that growth is expected to keep rising in the coming years. Although solar panels are often the perfect solution for businesses and homes alike, making solar cells as efficient as possible is central to helping the world meet its green energy goals. California company Swift Solar was set up to do just that.

Instead of traditional thin-film or silicon panels, Swift Solar produces perovskite tandem cells, and, according to the startup, using perovskite (a material that has a specific crystal structure) makes for much more efficient panels at a lower cost, in part because it’s made from Earth-abundant materials. Perovskite can absorb light across virtually all visible wavelengths, making it extremely effective at converting sunlight into usable electricity, and the company combines the upper metal halide perovskite layer with a silicon cell (or other perovskite) underneath. This design maximises the conversion of infrared, UV, and visible lightwaves.

As Swift Solar’s panels are also lightweight for the amount of energy they generate, it opens up more potential applications for the technology. For one, the cells could be used to power EVs in the form of a perovskite roof and vehicles could benefit from 15 extra miles of range a day, according to the company’s estimates. Or, the tech could be used to power satellites at a much lower cost.

Producing these kinds of cells requires less materials and less energy, making manufacturing cheaper and more climate-friendly. And, unlike existing cells, which are mainly manufactured in China and other parts of Asia, Swift Solar’s perovskite cells could be manufactured in the US, helping to streamline the solar supply chain while removing the need to ship cells halfway across the world. According to Swift Solar, its technology could cut the cost of solar power by 30 per cent, making it an even more accessible green energy source to US homes and businesses.

The team at Swift Solar are not the first researchers to realise the potential of perovskite, but issues around the technology’s scalability and durability has stopped it from becoming a widespread commercial success. Layering perovskite on top of a silicon cell helps to combat that, and Swift Solar uses AI and machine learning to optimise its technology and maximise research and development efforts in hopes that it will commercialise its solution within a matter of years.

Last month, the company completed a $27 million series A funding round led by Eni Next and Fontinalis Partners. As the company works towards opening its first manufacturing facility in the States, the latest round of financing will help the company scale up more quickly.

Written By: Matilda Cox