Are perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells ready for large-scale deployment?

How efficient are perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells now?

The technology has achieved remarkable efficiencies in the lab, surpassing the theoretical limit of single-junction silicon cells. In 2024, a team reported a certified stabilized efficiency of 33.89% for a 1 cm² device, which is the first time a two-junction tandem has exceeded the single-junction Shockley-Queisser limit of 33.7% [5]. This was achieved using a bilayer interface passivation strategy that reduced energy losses at the perovskite/electron transport layer interface. Another group reached 32.5% certified efficiency by using an ultrathin indium zinc oxide layer to improve charge transfer between the perovskite top cell and silicon bottom cell, while also cutting indium consumption by about 80% [10].

These high efficiencies are not isolated. A 2023 study achieved 32.5% certified efficiency using a triple-halide perovskite and a piperazinium iodide interfacial layer to improve band alignment and reduce recombination losses [8]. Another 2023 paper reported 31.25% certified efficiency by using an additive to control perovskite crystallization on industry-standard textured silicon, reducing defects at the top surface [9]. A 2022 study using periodic nanotextures to improve light management reached 29.80% certified efficiency, with the added benefit of increasing fabrication yield from 50% to 95% [3]. Together, these results show that multiple independent groups are now routinely achieving efficiencies above 30% on small-area devices, which is a strong indicator of the technology's potential.

Can these cells be manufactured at scale?

Scalable manufacturing is a major focus, and significant progress has been made, but it remains a bottleneck. A key challenge is depositing high-quality perovskite films on the textured silicon wafers used in industry, which have micrometer-sized pyramids that make uniform coating difficult. One 2023 study demonstrated a 28.6% efficient tandem on industrially compatible textured silicon using an anion-engineered additive to control crystallization, and achieved 25.1% on a larger 16 cm² aperture area [2]. Another 2024 study used a solvent engineering approach with n-butanol to fabricate tandems in air (avoiding the need for inert gas), achieving 29.4% on small cells and 26.3% on 16 cm² devices [1].

However, scaling up consistently reduces efficiency. The drop from ~29% to ~26% when moving from 1 cm² to 16 cm² [1][2] indicates that uniformity and defect control over larger areas are still imperfect. A 2022 review highlighted that upscaling to industry-relevant areas and module integration are critical challenges that need to be addressed [7]. A 2023 review on bottom cell design emphasized that mass production requires a shift in mindset, as the silicon cell must be optimized specifically for tandem operation [11]. A 2022 study proposed a novel lamination process to increase manufacturing flexibility, but the first prototypes achieved only 20% efficiency [12], showing that alternative approaches still lag behind conventional deposition methods. So while scalable processes exist, they are not yet at the level needed for commercial production.

How stable are these tandem cells?

Stability is the most critical hurdle for commercialization, and the evidence is mixed but improving. Several studies report promising operational stability under continuous illumination. One 2023 study showed that encapsulated tandem cells retained over 80% of their initial performance after 2000 hours of operation under full 1-sun illumination in ambient conditions [2]. Another 2023 study reported that encapsulated devices retained 94% of their initial performance after more than 1200 hours under 1-sun illumination in ambient air [6]. A 2022 study using a lamination approach found that single-junction perovskite cells retained their initial efficiency after one year of aging and showed good thermal stability at 80°C [12].

However, these tests are conducted under controlled lab conditions, not real-world outdoor conditions. A 2024 review noted that stability measurements for tandem devices are still not standardized, making comparisons difficult, and that long-term stability (10+ years) has not been demonstrated [4]. A 2023 review on perovskite tandem solar cells stated that instability and difficulties in large-area realization are the major challenges for commercialization [13]. A 2022 review emphasized that stability is likely the most challenging task that will determine the economic viability of the technology [7]. The fact that the highest-efficiency devices (33.89%) do not report long-term stability data [5] highlights the trade-off between performance and durability. So while stability has improved significantly, it has not yet been proven at the level required for 25-30 year solar panel warranties.

About These Sources

This answer is built on 13 peer-reviewed studies — published from 2022 to 2024, 3 from 2024 or later, 12 in Q1 journals, collectively cited 2,612 times — selected as the most relevant from 15 studies that passed quality screening, drawn from 55 papers retrieved from a database of over 500 million.

Sources used in this answer

Related research questions