New class of solar cells from Oxford promises lowest cost solar energy

Results just released in the journal Science promise to provide the lowest cost-performance photovoltaic solution on the market. The technology makes use of a simple manufacturing process with inexpensive and abundant raw materials. Prototypes of these new Meso-Superstructured Solar Cells (MSSC) demonstrated in the journal have already achieved an impressive 10.9% efficiency.
The technology has been exclusively licensed by Isis Innovation Ltd., the Technology Transfer company of the University of Oxford, to Oxford Photovoltaics Ltd (Oxford PV) who were spun out by Isis in December 2010. Oxford PV has since gained experience in developing solid state dye sensitized solar cells for the Building Integrated PVs (BIPV) industry. According to a 2010 Nanomarkets LC report, revenues for BIPVs are estimated to rise to US$6.4 billion by 2016. CEO Kevin Arthur said: “Our experience with this hybrid technology gives us the perfect vantage point to quickly develop our exciting new MSSCs into commercial products. This new class of solar cells will deliver a massively scaleable product firstly for BIPV market and, as energy conversion performance improves further, for other high volume PV applications. Ultimately we envisage this technology competing directly with grid delivered electricity.”

The key to this new class of solar cell technology lies in combining specifically formulated ceramics with thin films. An MSSC can be printed directly onto glass and processed at below 150° C to produce a semi-transparent, robust layer. Dr Henry Snaith, Chief Scientific Officer of OPV who leads this research, said; “The MSSCs have proven to suffer from few losses to provide a photovoltage of 1.1 volts. The plan is to continuously optimise MSSCs towards the goal of over 20% efficiency. But even as they are today, they will outperform anything else on the market.”

Tom Hockaday, Managing Director of Isis Innovation Ltd., said, “These latest developments keep Oxford at the cutting edge of clean energy technology. We are delighted that Oxford PV has licensed the technology, their expertise will be invaluable in developing this new type of solar cell on a commercial scale.”