UNSW SPREE 202407-10 N.J. Ekins-Daukes - High Efficiency Photovoltaics - the Ultimate Limit

UNSW School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Engineering
High Efficiency Photovoltaics, Progress towards the Ultimate Limit for Solar Power Conversion
N.J. Ekins-Daukes
UNSW SPREE
10 July 2024
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ABSTRACT
What is a Thermoradiative Diode and what role can they play in power generation?
(Spoiler: The device can generate power from any warm surface, including the Sydney opera house roof radiating into the cold night sky - effectively solar power at night!)
What do we need to do to make the most efficient solar cell and why can't it be 100% efficient?
This seminar describes the thermodynamics processes involved in achieving the ultimate limit of Solar Power Conversion.
* Landsberg Limit for Solar Power Conversion
* Fundamental losses in solar cells
* Multi-Junction Solar Cells : The Standard Path to High Efficiency
* Strain-Balance Quantum Well Solar Cell
* Observations from multi-junction PV manufacturing
* Australian Government Objective : Ultra Low Cost Solar PV
* Routes to improve Silicon PV Efficiency
* Molecular Singlet Fission
* Requirements for EQE greater than 100%
* Two technological pathways
* Electrical Power from Radiative Processes : Thermoradiative Conversion
* Thermoradiative and Thermophotovoltaic Power
* Thermoradiative power from body heat
BRIEF BIO
Ned is a full Professor in the School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Engineering. From 2008-17, Ned worked in the Physics department at Imperial College London holding positions of Reader, Senior Lecturer and Lecturer as well as a Royal Society Industry Fellowship. From 2005-7 he worked as a lecturer at the School of Physics at the University of Sydney. From 2003-06 he was a JSPS research fellow at the Toyota Technological Institute, Japan. Ned holds a PhD and MSc from Imperial College and MSci in Physics & Electronics from the University of St Andrews.