Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Modules: The Challenge of Upscaling and Commercializing This Technology

Metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and modules offer promise as an ultralow-cost, high-performing renewable energy source due to their high-power conversion efficiency (PCE), low materials cost, diverse deposition routes (e.g., vapor phase, solution-processable fabrication), and potential use in tandem configurations, due to their bandgap tunability. PSCs potentially have additional nontraditional applications given their compatibility with flexible substrates. However, commercializing metal halide perovskite (MHP) solar modules for large-scale mass manufacturing while maintaining high performance is proving to be challenging. These challenges include developing processes to deposit high-quality, large-area films, scribe and interconnect cells, and package large format modules, all without significant performance loss. In addition, there also exist metrology challenges; current methods to measure PSC efficiency are slow and require specialized equipment such as continuous solar simulators. Upscaling of production will require faster methods to monitor the quality and performance of the modules during production. For MHP modules to be viable in the commercial market, methods need to be developed and validated to determine if modules are prone to known early failures or rapid degradation. Accelerated stress tests need to be developed, validated, and standardized to demonstrate operational stability so that consumers have confidence that MHP modules will meet commercial expectations. Finally, risks associated with the toxicity and exposure from lead-containing PSCs and modules need further evaluation. Lead concentration in PSCs is very low but it is in a soluble form. In response, researchers are working to either reduce or remove lead from the active-layer perovskite composition or add materials that bind to or slow the transport of lead from modules in the event that they break or end up in a landfill. This chapter focuses on recent research efforts for large-area perovskite solar modules. We include published reports on cell-to-module advancements, manufacturing progress and challenges, performance characterization for large-area modules, reliability, and environmental risks associated with the most current technology to advance the commercialization of MHP solar modules.