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| Fri, 21st Feb 2020 14:31:00 |
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How Low Can Solar Cells Go? Perovskite Researchers Say Down, Down, Down |
The cost of solar power is sinking practically by the day, and the next new "hot" solar cell material — perovskite — will push costs down even more. So far you can’t get perovskite solar cells in stores but this year will bring a trickle into the market, and a batch of new research suggests that the trickle will become a flood. When that happens, look out. The thermal coal market is already in the toaster and perovskite could fry it to a crisp while also dragging natural gas down along, too.
Perovskite For More & Cheaper Solar Cells
Perovskite is a naturally occurring mineral (aka calcium titanate) that has been known to science since its discovery in the Ural mountains in 1839.
Science may have known perovskite, but researchers didn't fully cotton on to its photovoltaic properties until the 1950s.
Synthetic perovskite is relatively inexpensive and easy to make, which brings up the prospect of using it as a substitute for silicon, the main ingredient in today's solar cells. Silicon is efficient but pricey, and the hunt has been on for substitutes.
That brings us up to today, when researchers have figured out how to resolve the Achilles' heel of perovskite, which is its tendency to fall apart in humid conditions. One solution, for example, is to add a dose of graphene to the mix.
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