CHEOPS Looks to Make PV Cells More Efficient, Less Costly

Three Swiss organizations and their nine international partners have launched a European research project that aims to develop novel types of photovoltaic cell. The cells will use perovskite PV technology, which has the potential to be both low-cost and extremely efficient. The project, titled CHEOPS, is coordinated by CSEM and has a budget of €5 million.
 
The term perovskite photovoltaics refers to a novel class of materials with a special crystal structure that makes possible the fabrication of extremely efficient solar cells in a simple manner and at potentially low manufacturing costs. But this is so far true only for small devices produced in labs, and those devices still have limited long-term reliability.
 
CHEOPS will pursue this goal by upscaling the technology, by developing a “tandem cell” with a perovskite cell on top of a conventional silicon-based cell.
 
“Such tandem cells can harvest a broader spectrum of light than a single cell, which should lead to an increase in their efficiency further approaching the 30% range,” said Christophe Ballif, director of the PV center.