Following the 3rd release of the “Emerging PV reports” , the best achievements in the performance of emerging photovoltaic (e-PV) devices in diverse e-PV research subjects are summarized, as reported in peer-reviewed articles in academic journals since August 2022. Updated graphs, tables and analyses are provided with several performance parameters, such as power conversion efficiency, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, fill factor, light utilization efficiency, and stability test energy yield. These parameters are presented as a function of the photovoltaic bandgap energy and the average visible transmittance for each technology and application, and are put into perspective using, for example, the detailed balance efficiency limit. The 4th installment of the “Emerging PV reports” discusses the “PV emergence” classification with respect to the “PV technology generations” and “PV research waves” and highlights the latest device performance progress in multijunction and flexible photovoltaics. Additionally, Dale-Scarpulla’s plots of efficiency-effort in terms of cumulative academic publication count are also introduced.

The spectacular and unprecedented rise of so-called perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in conversion efficiency with low-cost manufacturing processes has grabbed the attention of the scientific community in the field of photovoltaics during the last four years. The inclusion of perovskite type absorber materials, typically CH3NH3PbI3, has been the key factor for the development of this emerging technology that has created a lot of expectations. However, many poorly understood aspects of its operating modes still need of reliable explanations.  This paper provides a brief introduction to the structure, materials and characteristics of PSCs. In addition, some remarks about the stability of these devices are provided and the state-of-the-art of several subjects of interest is discussed, such as the hysteresis phenomenon of current-voltage curves. O. Almora, L. Vaillant-Roca, and G. Garcia-Belmonte, Rev. Cubana Fis. 34(1),  2017, 58-68.

Osbel Almora*, Derya Baran, Guillermo C. Bazan, Carlos I. Cabrera, Kylie R. Catchpole, Sule Erten-Ela, Karen Forberich, Fei Guo, Jens Hauch, Anita W.Y. Ho-Baillie, T. Jesper Jacobsson, Rene A.J. Janssen, Thomas Kirchartz, Nikos Kopidakis, Yongfang Li, Maria A. Loi, Richard R. Lunt, Xavier Mathew, Michael D. McGehee, Jie Min, David B. Mitzi, Mohammad K. Nazeeruddin, Jenny Nelson, Ana F. Nogueira, Ulrich W. Paetzold, Nam-Gyu Park, Barry P. Rand, Uwe Rau, Henry J. Snaith, Eva Unger, Lídice Vaillant-Roca, Hin-Lap Yip, and Christoph J. Brabec*Dr. O. AlmoraUniversity Pablo de Olavide, Seville, SpainDr. O. Almora, Prof. C. J. BrabecErlangen Graduate School of Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT), 91052 Erlangen, Germany.Prof. D. BaranKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering (PSE), KAUST Solar Center (KSC), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia.Prof. G.C. BazanDepartments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, National University of Singapore, SingaporeProf. C.J. BrabecZernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Groningen 9747, The NetherlandsDr. C.I. CabreraUnidad Académica de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Luz y la Materia, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Zacatecas, 98160, MexicoProf. K.R. CatchpoleResearch School of Electrical, Energy and Materials Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra 2601, AustraliaProf. S. Erten-ElaEge University, Solar Energy Institute, Bornova, 35100, Izmir, TurkeyProf. F. GuoInstitute of New Energy Technology, College of Information Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, ChinaProf. C.J. Brabec, Dr. Karen Forberich, Dr. J. Hauch, Dr. C. BergerForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Helmholtz‐Institut Erlangen‐Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (HI ERN), 91058 Erlangen, GermanyProf. A.W.Y. Ho-BaillieSchool of Physics and The University of Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, AustraliaDr. T.J. JacobssonInstitute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology of Tianjin, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaDr. E. UngerHySPRINT Innovation Lab (Young Investigator Group Hybrid Materials Formation and Scaling), Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Kekuléstrasse 5, 12489 Berlin, GermanyProf. R.A.J. JanssenMolecular Materials and Nanosystems & Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, Eindhoven, 5612 AJ, The NetherlandsProf. T. Kirchartz, Prof. U. Rau,IEK5-Photovoltaics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, GermanyProf. T. KirchartzFaculty of Engineering and CENIDE, University of Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg, GermanyDr. N. KopidakisPV Cell and Module Performance group, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 15313 Denver West Parkway, United StatesProf. Y. LiSchool of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaProf. M.A. LoiPhotophysics and OptoElectronics Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, NL-9747 AG Groningen, The NetherlandsProf. R.R. LuntDepartment of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United StatesProf. X. MathewInstituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos 62580, MéxicoProf. M.D. McGeheeDepartment of Chemical and Biological Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States; National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, Colorado 80401, United StatesProf. Dr. J. MinThe Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China; Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Mold (Zhengzhou University), Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou, 450002 ChinaProf. D.B. MitziDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Material Science & Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United StatesProf. M. K. NazeeruddinGroup for Molecular Engineering and Functional Materials, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, CH-1951 Sion, SwitzerlandProf. J. NelsonDepartment of Physics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BZ, UKProf. A.F. NogueiraChemistry Institute, University of Campinas, PO Box 6154, 13083-9 70, Campinas, São Paulo, BrazilDr. U.W. PaetzoldInstitute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany; Light Technology Institute (LTI), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76131, Karlsruhe, GermanyProf. N.-G. ParkSchool of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea.Prof. B.P. RandDepartment of Electrical Engineering and Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United StatesProf. H. J. SnaithClarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK.Prof. L. Vaillant-RocaPhotovoltaic Research Laboratory, Institute of Materials Science and Technology – Physics Faculty, University of Havana 10400, Havana, CubaProf. H.-L. YipDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering and Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong*[email protected],

Following the 1st release of the “Emerging PV reports” , the best achievements in the performance of emerging photovoltaic devices in diverse emerging photovoltaic research subjects are summarized, as reported in peer-reviewed articles in academic journals since August 2020. Updated graphs, tables and analyses are provided with several performance parameters, e.g. power conversion efficiency, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, fill factor, light utilization efficiency, and stability test energy yield. These parameters are presented as a function of the photovoltaic bandgap energy and the average visible transmittance for each technology and application, and are put into perspective using, e.g., the detailed balance efficiency limit. The 2nd instalment of the“Emerging PV reports” extends the scope towards tandem solar cells and presents the current state of the art in tandem solar cell performance for various material combinations.

Emerging photovoltaics (PVs), focuses on a variety of applications complementing large scale electricity generation. For instance, organic, dye-sensitized and some perovskite solar cells are considered in building integration, greenhouses, wearable and indoors, thereby motivating research on flexible, transparent, semitransparent, and multi-junction PVs. Nevertheless, it can be very time consuming to find or develop an up-to-date overview over the state-of-the-art performance for these systems and applications. Two important resources for record research cells efficiencies are the National Renewable Energy Laboratory chart and the efficiency tables compiled biannually by Martin Green and colleagues. Both publications provide an effective coverage over the established technologies, bridging research and industry. An alternative approach is proposed here summarizing the best reports in the diverse research subjects for emerging PVs. Best performance parameters are provided as a function of the photovoltaic bandgap energy for each technology and application, and are put into perspective using, e.g., the Shockley-Queisser limit. In all cases, the reported data correspond to published and/or properly described certified results, with enough details provided for prospective data reproduction. Additionally, the stability test energy yield (STEY) is included as an analysis parameter among state-of-the-art emerging PVs.