CEI / September 12, 2024
Green Ammonia: The Sustainable Revolution in the Chemical Industry and Energy Storage
Silicon solar cells have dominated the solar energy market for over 40 years due to their durability and stability. However, perovskite – a new material with special crystalline structure – is emerging as a potential candidate in the field of materials for energy and environmental solutions. This article comparatively analyzes both technologies, focusing on energy conversion efficiency, environmental impact, and potential applications in sustainable energy systems.
Solar cell technology has undergone multiple development phases since its invention in the 1950s. Single-crystal and polycrystalline silicon currently account for 95% of the global solar cell market with commercial efficiency reaching 20-22% [1]. However, limitations in production costs and efficiency have driven research into alternative materials.
Perovskite, with the general formula ABX₃ (A is organic cation, B is inorganic cation, X is halogen), has attracted significant attention from the scientific community since 2009 when its conversion efficiency increased from 3.8% to 25.5% within just one decade [2].
Commercial single-crystal silicon achieves 20-22% efficiency, approaching the theoretical limit of 29% according to the Shockley-Queisser theorem [3]. However, silicon production requires high temperatures (1400°C) and consumes significant energy, creating a substantial carbon footprint.
In contrast, perovskite has achieved 25.5% efficiency in laboratory settings and can be fabricated at room temperature, significantly reducing environmental impact. Research by Guo and colleagues (2023) demonstrated that using a metal layer can increase perovskite’s light conversion efficiency by 250% [4].
Silicon production results in up to 50% material waste during the wafer cutting process [2]. Perovskite can be manufactured through solution processing techniques such as spin coating or roll-to-roll printing, allowing production with less waste and material conservation [5].
The main weakness of perovskite is its low durability when exposed to moisture, high temperatures, and UV radiation. Silicon can operate stably for 25-30 years, while perovskite currently maintains performance for only a few months, affecting the overall sustainability of energy systems [2].
To leverage the advantages of both materials, researchers are developing combined solutions. Multi-layer cell structures can place high-efficiency perovskite on top of durable silicon, aiming to create solar energy systems that are both efficient and sustainable.
Current trends focus not only on efficiency but also consider the entire product lifecycle, from production to recycling, to optimize overall environmental impact.
AI is playing a crucial role in optimizing both technologies. Instead of manually testing each perovskite formula, AI can predict material properties and optimize compositions in short timeframes. IBM has used AI to reduce material development time from 5 years to 5 days [4].
Both silicon and perovskite play important roles in developing green energy solutions. Silicon continues to lead in reliability and commercialization capability, while perovskite promises higher efficiency and lower environmental impact during production.
The future of solar cell technology may move toward combining both materials, leveraging their respective strengths to create energy systems that are both efficient and sustainable. With AI support in material design and optimization, this field is entering a new development phase, promising significant contributions to global clean energy goals.
Research and applications in “Materials for Energy and Environmental Solutions” will be one of the main focuses at the HORIZONS 2025 International Conference, taking place from August 25-27, 2025, at VinUniversity.
The conference brings together world-leading experts such as Shirley Meng (University of Chicago) presenting “Designing Better Materials and Systems for Future Batteries,” Anita Ho-Baillie (University of Sydney) discussing “Next generation multi-junction solar cells,” and many scientists from Stanford, Cambridge, and UC Santa Barbara.
Notably, the HORIZONS 2025 program features three parallel sessions on Materials for Energy and Environmental Solutions, covering research from advanced perovskite cells and energy storage materials to carbon capture solutions and smart environmental sensors.
With over 40 invited talks and 20 contributed papers from international researchers, HORIZONS 2025 promises to be an important scientific forum for exchanging the latest discoveries and shaping future research directions in energy-environment materials.
[1] Gunisati, V. T., & Suganesh, R. (2023). A comparative study on silicon and perovskite solar cells. TIJER-International Research Journal, 10(6), 757-763. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8154877
[2] Andreani, L. C., et al. (2019). Silicon solar cells: toward the efficiency limits. Advances in Physics: X, 4(1), 1548305. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23746149.2018.1548305
[3] Shockley, W., & Queisser, H. J. (1961). Detailed balance limit of efficiency of p‐n junction solar cells. Journal of Applied Physics, 32(3), 510-519. Available at: https://aip.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1063/1.1736034
[4] Marcotte, B. (2023, February 16). Perovskites, a ‘dirt cheap’ alternative to silicon, just got a lot more efficient. University of Rochester News. Available at: https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/perovskites-solar-cells-more-efficient-with-metal-substrate-574922/
[5] Kajal, P., Ghosh, K., & Powar, S. (2018). Manufacturing techniques of perovskite solar cells. ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321396151_Manufacturing_Techniques_of_Perovskite_Solar_Cells
