Minimizing the Carrier Collection Loss of the Neutral-Color Transparent Crystalline-silicon Solar Modules via Hybrid Electrode Design

Abstract

Transparent solar cells can be used where conventional solar cells are inapplicable, such as, in glass windows of buildings; however, reports on modularization, which is essential for their commercialization, are scarce. Here, a novel modularization method has been proposed for the fabrication of transparent solar cells and a 100-cm(2) neutral-color transparent crystalline-silicon solar module has been developed using a hybrid electrode comprising a microgrid electrode and an edge busbar electrode. The transparent solar module exhibits a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.94 and 13.14% when connected in series and in parallel, respectively, with an average visible transmittance of 20%. Additionally, the module exhibits negligible losses in PCE (lower than 0.23%) in outdoor, mechanical-load, and damp-heat (at 85 degrees C/85% RH) stability tests, indicating high stability. The transparent solar module proposes here could facilitate the commercialization of transparent solar cells.