PV-magazine.de recently published an article by Dr. Karen Forberich on the challenge of achieving standardized comparability and accelerating technological development in emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Emerging PVs, which includes organic photovoltaics (OPV) and perovskite photovoltaics (PPV), is distinguished by its use of alternative light-absorbing materials and its potential for innovative applications due to properties like transparency and flexibility. However, the lack of standardized metrics and common data platforms has hindered comparative progress assessments across different research groups.

To tackle this issue, Karen explains how an international consortium of research experts established the Emerging-PV Initiative. This initiative includes a comprehensive database and an associated website where scientists can upload their published data on various performance metrics such as power conversion efficiency and operational lifetime. The data undergo an automatic verification process for completeness and consistency before being presented. This initiative aims to create uniform criteria for data publication, enhancing the visibility of progress and facilitating accelerated technological development.

The article highlights that operational lifetime is currently a significant hurdle for commercializing emerging PV technologies. Variability in testing conditions like temperature, lighting, and ambient atmosphere complicates the assessment of longevity. The Emerging PV Initiative seeks to address these challenges by encouraging uniform testing standards and data contributions from the scientific community.

Forberich also emphasizes the importance of future discussions on photovoltaic technologies’ potential impacts and applications through lecture series and collaborative events involving experts from both academia and industry. These discussions will explore the future trajectory of PV technologies, their integration into various sectors, and their role in a sustainable energy economy.

Overall, Karen’s article underscores the necessity for standardized data sharing and evaluation in advancing emerging PV technologies and presents the Emerging-PV Initiative as a pivotal step towards achieving these goals.