Researchers identify unexpected flaw in high-efficiency solar panels: 'Thermal stress is the key'

Experts at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have found temperature swings to be a leading cause of perovskite solar cell failure. 

If the findings can lead to commercialization of the promising ray-wrangling material, it could be pivotal for panel efficiency rates on rooftops and at large farms. 

Perovskites are a group of crystalline minerals that are great at converting sunlight into electricity at potentially low cost when part of a panel. But short lifespans from degradation have so far limited widespread use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

That's why experts at Helmholtz and elsewhere are trying to figure out how to improve their durability and longevity. Other researchers are combining the material with different substances more common to panels, including silicon, to garner better results. 

For its part, the team in Germany has narrowed the problem down to temperature swings. 

"When used outdoors, solar modules are exposed to the weather and the seasons," Professor Antonio Abate said in a Helmholtz report. The article noted that temperatures inside panels can change greatly, from 104 degrees Fahrenheit to more than 200 degrees in desert settings. In other parts of the world, warmer days and colder nights cause a great degree of difference, too.  

As part of the examination, the researchers exposed perovskite cells to repeated extreme temperature changes, monitoring microstructure impact. The hot/cold fluctuation caused expansion and contraction of various material layers inside, disrupting performance. 

"Thermal stress is the key," Abate said in the report. 

Troubleshooting weather conundrums has long been an innovation spur for cleaner energy researchers. An invention out of the University of Toledo uses specialized strips to help snow slide off suncatchers, as an example. 

But a perovskite breakthrough could shine brightest. Solar Magazine reported that the panels can hit a nearly 30% efficiency rate — the amount of sunlight turned into power. Traditional panels, often made with silicon, are usually in the low-to-mid-20s. But the latter tech can last up to 30 years, while perovskite only works well for around 30 months, all according to the magazine.

If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation? Energy independence Lower power bills Helping the planet No chance I ever go solar Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

And while the sector continues to improve, panels already on the market can save you up to $700 per year on electricity costs, according to a government study that even factored in the system's initial expenses. 

Making the switch now can lock in still-available tax breaks of up to 30% of the setup. But the incentives could be at risk under President Donald Trump's energy plan and federal cutbacks, as reported by NPR. 

Community solar programs are a great option for homeowners who don't want to install equipment or aren't able to. The power from a nearby solar farm can result in savings of $150 or more per year. 

EnergySage is a free online service that can help you find the best prices, installers, programs, and incentives available for both routes. 

Widespread solar energy adoption — now at 4% of U.S. generation, per government data — is crucial to shifting to a power system that reduces heat-trapping air pollution. Limiting the planet-warming fumes is key to staunching increased risks for severe weather and other concerns, according to experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

For their part, the Helmholtz experts provided a solution with the findings. 

"The main thing … is to make the perovskite structures and the adjacent layers more stable against thermal stress, for example by increasing the crystalline quality, but also by using suitable buffer layers," they wrote, also encouraging more perovskite studies. 

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