Silicon solar cells are approaching the physical efficiency limit of single-junction technology, with the theoretical ceiling at around 29%. ART-PV India is working on tandem solar cells that combine silicon or cadmium telluride with a perovskite layer to capture a wider range of sunlight and potentially improve conversion efficiency.
Combining Two Solar Technologies
ART-PV India, formally Advanced Renewable Tandem-Photovoltaics India, was incubated at IIT Bombay and emerged from the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education, with Professor Dinesh Kabra leading the research.
The company has reported a two-terminal monolithic tandem cell achieving 29.8% conversion efficiency. The architecture combines silicon and CdTe with perovskite. In a monolithic design, the layers are integrated into a single device, while the two-terminal configuration uses two electrical connections, similar to a conventional solar cell.
The reported 29.8% figure is a laboratory result rather than a commercial module specification. Full-sized modules generally record lower efficiencies than individual laboratory cells. However, the result demonstrates the potential of tandem architectures to move beyond the limitations of single-junction silicon.
Perovskite is being explored as the top layer because its light absorption characteristics can be adjusted through its chemical composition. It can also potentially be deposited at relatively low temperatures onto existing solar-cell technologies.
From Laboratory Research to Pilot Manufacturing
ART-PV India's commercial strategy involves developing technology compatible with both crystalline silicon and cadmium telluride thin-film solar cells. Crystalline silicon dominates the global solar market, while CdTe is a major thin-film technology.
The company says First Solar and Waaree are partners and hold preferential licensing rights in exchange for supporting development and commercialisation.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is funding an approximately $10 million pilot manufacturing facility at IIT Bombay. ART-PV India has access to around 5,000 square feet of cleanroom space at the institute's research park, along with fabrication, characterisation and simulation equipment.
The underlying research ecosystem was established through the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education in 2010 and has received more than Rs 200 crore in ministry funding over 15 years.
However, several commercial questions remain open. Production timelines, module-level efficiency, long-term durability and final product specifications have not yet been published. Perovskite technology also faces a significant durability challenge because the material can degrade when exposed to heat, moisture and ultraviolet radiation.
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