Technology

Perovskite Commercial Efficiency Milestone

TÜV SÜD Certifies UtmoLight’s 17.18% Efficiency Claim For Mass-Produced Perovskite Mini Module

Anu Bhambhani
  • UtmoLight has announced 17.18% efficiency for its commercial sized perovskite solar module
  • It has been certified by Germany's TÜV SÜD with a fill factor of 80.35% for a 0.72 m² mass-produced module
  • The company says it is the 1st time for a 3rd party to have tested the overall area efficiency of commercial sized perovskite modules that exceeds 17%

Chinese solar technology startup UtmoLight says its 17.18% efficiency for a 0.72 m² mass-produced perovskite 'mini' solar module is now the world's 1st commercial sized perovskite solar module to have its high efficiency level certified, by Germany's TÜV SÜD.

UtmoLight added that this is the 1st time that a 3rd party has tested the overall area efficiency of commercial sized perovskite modules that exceeds 17%.

The module in question is sized 1,200 mm x 600 mm with a fill factor of 80.35%, while its Voc was determined as 85.06 V, according to the TÜV SÜD certificate. It was produced on the company's 150 MW perovskite production line that became operational at the end of 2022.

According to the company, this high efficiency of 0.72 m² module indicates that the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of perovskite modules has now approached the range of mainstream crystalline silicon modules, while adding that there is still a long way to go for perovskites to truly achieve large-scale commercialization in the industry.

In June 2023, the company achieved 18.6% steady-state efficiency on 809.9cm² for commercial-scale perovskite module, as announced by the Solar Cell Efficiency Tables, compiled by a team led by Australia's Prof Martin Green (see China Solar PV News Snippets).

Management expects to exceed 18% efficiency for its commercial perovskite module by the end of 2023. Over the next 2 to 3 years, UtmoLight said it will aim to clear the IEC's stringent test of stability of commercial sized perovskite modules and report mass production efficiency of 20% for under RMB 1.00 ($0.14)/W.