The Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has launched three new flagship R&D projects. In collaboration with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) of NRF the researchers target to develop a 30 percent efficient thin-film-on-silicon tandem solar cell. The practical efficiency of silicon solar cells is limited to about 28 percent under natural sunlight, whereby the world record efficiency is 26.6 percent at present. To boost the efficiency of silicon solar cells above the 30 percent threshold, they need to be combined with a second solar cell on top, to achieve a better harvest of the solar spectrum, says SERIS. »The most promising technology path to cost-effective 30 percent efficient solar cells is to combine a thin-film top cell with a silicon bottom cell.« In this project, NTU and CREATE will develop the thin-film top cells, while SERIS will develop optimized silicon bottom cells. Both III-V materials and perovskite materials will be investigated as top-cell materials.

Furthermore, the researchers want to develop low-cost, high-efficiency building-integrated PV (BIPV) modules and systems to replace parts of the building envelope with PV, including the facades. Due to a lack of land for utility-scale ground-mounted PV systems, the vast majority of Singapore’s solar capacity will be installed on top of, or attached to buildings. SERIS will be working on high-efficiency, light-weight solar technologies that are aesthetically pleasing and yet economically viable.

The third project is to develop a multi-purpose floating PV system that is suitable for off-shore applications in sheltered waters like Singapore.

SERIS was established on April 1, 2008 by its founding Director Professor Joachim Luther and thus recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. It is supported by the National University of Singapore (NUS), National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). SERIS focuses on technologies and services for tropical regions, in particular for Singapore and South-East Asia.