Volume 7 Issue 7, July 2022

All-perovskite tandem devices are promising due to their high efficiency and low cost but their development is hindered by narrow-bandgap absorbers. Now, researchers combine two large organic cations to improve the optoelectronic quality of narrow-bandgap tin–lead perovskites, enabling single-junction and tandem cells with enhanced efficiency and stability.

Electrification models used to plan future energy systems have become increasingly sophisticated, but typically oversimplify the financial landscape. New research shows that more accurate accounting of the costs of capital significantly changes the least-cost pathway to providing electrification across sub-Saharan Africa.

Legal mandates are critical to supporting action on sustainable development goals and climate change targets. Yet, new research highlights the importance of initial endowments for energy transitions, and how they can lead to disparate outcomes across regions.

Metal halide perovskite solar cells have shown promising performance, but mainly on small-area devices and under laboratory conditions. Now, researchers have demonstrated the fabrication of large-area devices assembled and packaged into modules and reported on their operation outdoors.

Nitrogen-coordinated iron catalysts are exciting potential replacements for platinum at the cathode of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, but still tend to have poor long-term durability. Now, a thin and porous nitrogen-doped carbon film deposited at the surface of a highly active but unstable Fe–N–C catalyst is shown to drastically improve its stability.

In a step towards the industrialization of perovskite photovoltaics based on 2D materials, the fabrication of numerous perovskite modules and panels and their integration into a standalone solar farm is demonstrated. Outdoor field tests provide insight into device performance under real-life conditions over 8 months.

Often presented as a bridge technology to a future zero-carbon energy system, natural gas infrastructure expansion remains hotly debated. Here Kemfert et al. discuss recent research to argue how such expansion hinders climate targets and energy transitions and suggest how research can support better planning.

Measuring the impact of energy policies towards emissions reduction and other sustainability goals is critical for designing effective future policy. Meng et al. assess the impact of energy policies in 42 Asia–Pacific countries and find that strategies are more effective than laws or regulations.

Demonstration of scalability, manufacturability and outdoor operation is key to the deployment of perovskite solar cells. Now, Pescetelli et al. fabricate a large number of perovskite solar modules, assemble them in panels and integrate them in an outdoor 4.5 m² solar farm infrastructure whose operation is monitored over 12 months.

There are some concerns that climate change and rapid wind development may lead to a reduction in the wind power capacity factor. Jung and Schindler show that wind turbine fleet evolution can overcome the potential climate change-induced capacity factor decrease.

All-perovskite tandem photovoltaics hold technological potential yet their upscaling is not trivial. Here Nejand et al. fabricate mini-modules using scalable methods and laser-scribed interconnections, achieving a 19.1% efficiency over an aperture area of 12.25 cm².

Renewable energy technologies are intended to contribute to electricity access both on grid and off grid in sub-Saharan Africa, yet their high cost of capital continues to hamper their growth. Using data from sub-Saharan Africa, Agutu et al. estimate the cost of capital at the country and technology level for electrification modes and find that the cost of capital is much higher than previously estimated in many cases.

Tong et al. form a 2D perovskite layer with two large organic cations to improve the structural and optoelectronic properties of Sn–Pb perovskites, and eventually the performance of single-junction and tandem solar cells.

Fe–N–C materials are promising oxygen reduction catalysts for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells but still lack sufficient long-term durability for practical applications. Here the authors fabricate an Fe–N–C material with a thin N–C layer on the surface, leading to a highly durable and active catalyst.

The maritime shipping industry is heavily energy-consuming and highly polluting, and, as such, is urgently seeking low-emission options. Here the authors examine the feasibility of battery-electric ships and show that the battery price declines could facilitate the electrification of short to medium-range shipping.