DGIST sets a new record for the world’s highest power conversion efficiency(PCE)

The Research Center for Thin Film Solar Cell, DGIST succeeded achieving the world’s highest PCE of 12.2% for flexible CZTS thin film solar cells. Moreover, the Center announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) with SolarFLEX for the commercialization of the original technologies. The MOU is expected to facilitate the process of commercialization of the flexible solar cell technology.

 

CZTS thin film solar cells are based on low-cost and eco-friendly materials such as bronze (Cu-Sn) and brass (Cu-Zn), making them more advantageous for mass production than solar cells containing expensive and rare elements such as indium and gallium or perovskite solar cells containing lead, a heavy metal. Therefore, the center has continued its investigation of CZTS solar cells as well as CIGS solar cells, securing several original technologies with significant implications.

 

In this regard, Dr. Kee-Jeong Yang of the Research Center for Thin Film Solar Cell developed “a heteroatom doping optimization technology for the fabrication of high-quality flexible CZTS solar cells” and published the results in Advanced Functional Materials. Adding to this remarkable achievement, the team succeeded in setting a new record for the world’s highest PCE for flexible CZTS solar cells.

 

Furthermore, the Research Center for Thin Film Solar Cell signed an MOU with SolarFLEX for the commercialization of these excellent original technologies with the aim of close cooperation for the commercialization of the flexible solar cell technology. The cooperation not only includes the collaboration for the commercialization of the thin film solar cell technology, but also the joint research related to the development of original technologies, such as tandem technology, for achieving further high efficiency of the solar cells.

 

Jin-Kyu Kang, the director of the DGIST Research Center for Thin Film Solar Cell, commented, “Through the MOU, the commercialization of flexible thin film solar cells made of general-purpose non-toxic materials will be materialized in the foreseeable future,” and further added, “These technologies derived by the joint research will practically facilitate the market release of the newly developed flexible CZTS solar modules that are cost-effective and easy to install.”

 

Solar FLEX Co., Ltd. is a company that manufactures 10 MW class flexible CIGS thin film solar cells and modules. Through the MOU, the PCE of flexible CIGS thin film solar cells will be improved even further, and with process technology developed through the integrated collaboration of low-cost CZTS solar cell technology and next-generation tandem technology, the flexible CIGS thin film solar cell modules that are inexpensive, lightweight, and suitable for application to the lightweight roof will become available, thus enabling commercialization tailored to the policy direction of K-RE100 and the Green New Deal.

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