See-through photovoltaics: combined solar cell luminescent solar concentrators

STPV aims to demonstrate a transparent photovoltaic cell with high average visible transparency, a well beyondstate-of-art efficiency 6% on large area, and color neutrality by exploiting for the first time the combined use ofLuminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) and Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) together with absorption of thepropagating luminescence wave and nanoplasmonic.

The use of PSCs instead of Si solar cells reduces the energylosses of generated carriers owing to the higher open circuit voltage (VOC) achievable with perovskite (>1.1 V)compared to Si (0.6 V).

Differently to conventional LSC that converts the light with solar cells applied at itsborder, STPV will take also the advantage of printability of PSCs to develop the novel concept of in planeconversion of the concentrated light. The PV conversion in the PSC will be obtained using the entire surface ofthe LSCs.

This distributed scheme permits to absorb the light during its propagation on the plane, solving thescale up issue, which is the main bottleneck to obtain high efficiency.

Light absorption will be enhanced byplasmonic nanoparticles (PNPs) that will create an intense localized electric field close to PSC surface. Moreover,the thin PSC can be used to directly convert the solar radiation working in tandem with the LSC. The thin PSC willguarantee a high level of transparency.

The innovative TPV concept will be demonstrated at module level on anarea ~400 cm2.