The cost of producing perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells is currently higher than that of traditional single-junction silicon solar cells, but this cost premium is offset by their significantly higher efficiencies. According to a detailed techno-economic analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL):
- Perovskite-silicon tandem modules can be produced in the U.S. at costs ranging roughly from $0.29 to $0.42 per watt, depending on the module efficiency (25% to 30%) and the tandem architecture used (two-terminal or four-terminal).
- At efficiencies around 30%, production costs are approximately $0.30 per watt for tandem cells, which is close to or slightly higher than the modeled cost for 22%-efficient traditional PERC silicon modules at about $0.285 per watt.
- With further efficiency improvements (e.g., reaching 32.5% to 35%), the production cost per watt for tandem modules can drop below that of traditional silicon modules, in the range of $0.257 to $0.306 per watt.
- The higher cost of tandem modules largely arises from additional materials and processing requirements such as solar glass, encapsulation, and electron transport layers in the perovskite sub-cell.
- Traditional photovoltaic silicon modules currently have production costs around $0.15 per watt in China and $0.34 to $0.54 per watt in other regions like Germany, with efficiencies typically between 15% and 22%.
- Tandem technology is expected to become more cost-effective as production scales up, materials become more standardized, and manufacturing equipment evolves, reducing the cost gap with single-junction silicon cells.
- Economically, the increased upfront cost of tandem cells is balanced by their superior efficiency, meaning more power is produced per unit area and potentially lowering the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and system costs over time.
In summary, perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells currently have a higher production cost per watt than traditional silicon cells, but their greater efficiency and ongoing improvements in manufacturing are expected to reduce costs and improve competitiveness soon. Tandem modules are projected to offer a better value proposition especially in large-scale projects where land use and efficiency gains matter significantly.
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