ZSW Refresh Thin Film CIGS Solar Cell Efficiency Up to 22.6%

The Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Energy (ZSW) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, announced the development of CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) thin-film solar cells
with a conversion efficiency of 22.
6%.
The conversion efficiency exceeded that of Japanese-made batteries by 0.
3 percentage points, and this is the fifth time that ZSW has regained the world record
.

Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cell efficiency has increased more
in the past three years than in the past 15 years.
Solar power generation costs are reduced
due to increased efficiency.

Researchers in southwest Germany continue to set new results, and just three months ago, the team set a European efficiency record
of 22.
0%.

The new battery, which exceeded this record by 0.
6 percent, was manufactured
using co-evaporation in a state-of-the-art laboratory paint factory.
This result has been certified
by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.

The new battery has an area of 0.
5 square centimeters, which is the standard size
of a test battery.
Researchers at the institute improved the efficiency performance of the battery by improving the production process at several points
.
One is post-deposition treatment of the CIGS surface, where metal compounds are incorporated into the layer
.

Efficiency rises

In recent years, the thin-film photovoltaic efficiency record has grown rapidly, and in the first three years, the world record will be refreshed every six months or so, with an average increase of 0.
7%
per year.
Thin-film cells may soon become strong contenders
for silicon-based solutions that have dominated the PV market for many years.

ZSW researchers also see a large number of untapped potential technologies
behind CIGS solar cells.
When it comes to overall module efficiency, CIGS PV technology is catching up with polysilicon technology
.

CIGS module production costs are already as low as silicon technology
.
Scientists believe that components can be rated for efficiencies of 18 percent or more, and production costs will drop to about 25 cents
per watt.

While the price of photovoltaic silicon products depends largely on economies of scale, CIGS modules can be produced at a low
cost even on a relatively small scale.

In the coming months, ZSW will work with industry partner Manz to export this latest technology from the lab to the factory
.
Headquartered in Reutlingen, Germany, Manz offers turnkey lines
for CIGS thin-film solar modules.