On a global level, Oxford PV boasts the largest team dedicated to working on a perovskite based solar technology. Oxford PV was founded in 2010 as an extension from a professor’s lab at the University of Oxford, which discovered the positive implication of using metal halide perovskite solar cells. The significance of this development will allow silicon solar cells to perform more efficiently while lowering costs of manufacture. As a result, the economy of the solar energy business will grow and become more widespread. With this, the future of replacing fossil fuels and fulfilling increasing energy demand becomes more achievable with this innovative technology.
The perovskite solar cell technology is meant to be used in tandem with the silicon solar cells. Doing so boosts the efficiency of their use up to 30%. These perovskite solar cells are also fabricated to fit standard silicon solar cells so they fit conveniently on top. The prototypes of the cells have proven their durability in tests involving high humidity and temperature. What makes using perovskite so useful is that they absorb the energy from photons in the blue end of the solar spectrum, while the silicon uses photons in the red end of the solar spectrum which has lower energy. The semi-transparency of the perovskite cells allow the lower energy photons to pass to the silicon cell underneath while it obtains the higher energy photons on top.
With a team based in the United Kingdom and Germany, this company strives to break new ground in the solar cell industry. As of now, Oxford PV manufactures their product for silicon solar cell companies for their own production and module use. However, exciting things are to be expected from Oxford PV as they are preparing to license their first commercial product to select manufacturing partners in 2019.
All images, courtesy of Oxford PV
