Chinese Scientists Hit 27% Efficiency on New Solar Cell

Scientists at Nanjing University have created the world's most efficient solar cell of its kind, reaching a certified 27.35% energy conversion rate and breaking previous records by nearly a full percentage point.

The team combined two different light-absorbing materials in a single solar panel: a perovskite layer that captures visible light and an organic layer that extends deep into the near-infrared spectrum. Previous attempts at this pairing couldn't match the photocurrent between layers, limiting overall performance.

The breakthrough came from developing a new molecule called Zh-F, which acts like a highly sensitive infrared antenna. When combined with another high-performance material called BTP-eC9, the organic layer alone achieved nearly 20% efficiency while losing minimal voltage during energy conversion.

Lead researcher Qingdong Zheng explained that the key was reducing wasted overlap between the two layers. By pushing the organic layer's absorption further into infrared wavelengths, each layer could work at peak efficiency without competing for the same light.

The complete tandem cell stacks the perovskite top layer with the organic bottom layer, connected by a special recombination interface. The perovskite catches high-energy photons while the organic layer harvests the near-infrared light that would otherwise pass through completely wasted.

Independent testing certified the cell at 26.88% efficiency, officially making it the highest-verified performance for this type of solar technology. The previous record, set just months ago by researchers in Singapore, reached 26.4%.

Why This Inspires

This isn't just about breaking records. Higher efficiency means solar panels can generate more electricity from the same amount of sunlight, making renewable energy more affordable and practical for everyone.

The unencapsulated device also showed remarkable durability, maintaining 80% of its performance after more than 744 hours under continuous simulated sunlight. That kind of stability suggests these advanced materials could survive real-world conditions, moving them closer to commercial production.

Each efficiency gain compounds globally. If next-generation panels can squeeze 27% more energy from sunlight instead of 20%, that's millions of tons less carbon dioxide per year as solar installations multiply worldwide.

The research team published their findings in the journal Joule, making their methods available to scientists everywhere who can now build on this foundation. What started in one Chinese laboratory could ripple outward, accelerating the clean energy transition for communities across every continent.

Better solar cells mean cleaner air, lower energy costs, and a fighting chance against climate change.