Promises and Challenges of Perovskite Solar Cells in Portable Applications

Abstract

In the process of reducing fossil fuel consumption and continuous development of clean energy, photovoltaic technologies will play an increasing role. Current mainstream solar cell technology, crystalline silicon solar cells, has the disadvantage of high processing costs. In addition, there is a growing interest to incorporate solar cells into a wider variety of applications, such as building integrated or portable devices. Silicon-based solar cells are not necessarily the best technology for these applications, and alternatives have been sought from new, low-cost photovoltaic technologies such as organic, dye-sensitized or hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells.

Perovskite solar cells seem to combine the high efficiencies typical of silicon-based solar cells with low production costs, good mechanical properties, wide tenability and some other favorable properties of organic photovoltaics. They appear to be potential candidates for portable photovoltaic devices. There are, however, some challenging issues that need addressing before the realistic implementation of perovskite solar cells in commercial applications.

This thesis discusses the advantages and current problems in employing perovskite solar cells in portable photovoltaic devices, as well as possible solutions to said problems. First, the mechanism of operation and essential properties of perovskite solar cells will be explained. Then, promises of perovskite solar cells will be discussed from a point of view of using them in portable solar cell applications. Finally, some of the most significant challenges in the upscaling of perovskite solar cells and their use in portable photovoltaics will be reflected.