Hanwha Q-Cells Quantsol Awards 2018
Alejandra Villanueva Tovar, Pavlo Perkhun, Erin Looney, Tom Veeken, Gizem Birant, Harald Reinhold (from left) have been awarded with an HQCQ 2018. © HZB
Six young researchers received a Hanwha Q-Cells Quantsol Award for their self-developed Photovoltaics. This award is presented by the organizers of the international summer school Quantsol together with the industry.
The International Summer School on Photovoltaics and New Concepts of Quantum Solar Energy Conversion (Quantsol) took place from 2 to 9 September 2018 in Hirschegg / Kleinwalsertal, Austria, for the eleventh time in a row. More than 50 prospective solar researchers from 20 countries attended the event. The participants received a comprehensive introduction into photovoltaics and solar fuel generation. Experts from leading research institutes all over the world presented the basic processes for converting solar energy into chemical and electrical energy and showed ways to their technical application. Newer materials, such as the promising perovskites or oxides for water splitting, as well as special analytical methods were also discussed in detail.
As last year, the Hanwha Q-Cells Quantsol Prize (QHQC Award 2018, see photo), was awarded in four categories. The winners in the team categories were Gizem Birant (University of Hasselt, Belgium) and Alejandra Villanueva Tovar (HZB) for the best self-built solar cell and Pavlo Perkhun (CINaM - Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille, France) and Harald Reinhold (Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg) for the best optical simulation of a perovskite silicon tandem solar cell. In the individual category, the prize went to the most active participant Erin Looney (MIT, USA) and Tom Veeken (AMOLF, Netherlands) for the best single crystal produced with the Epi-Simulator.
“We would like to thank all the helpers from the HZB and the TU Ilmenau as well as both research institutions, without whom it would not have been possible to organize and carry out such a high-quality school," said Prof. Klaus Lips, who – together with Prof. Thomas Hannappel, TU Ilmenau, is organizing this summerschool since eleven years. Due to the great demand, the next Quantsol Summer Schools are planned for September 2019 and 2020.
- Bright prospects for tin perovskite solar cellsPerovskite solar cells are widely regarded as the next generation photovoltaic technology. However, they are not yet stable enough in the long term for widespread commercial use. One reason for this is migrating ions, which cause degradation of the semiconducting material over time. A team from HZB and the University of Potsdam has now investigated the ion density in four different, widely used perovskite compounds and discovered significant differences. Tin perovskite semiconductors produced with an alternative solvent had a particular low ion density — only one tenth that of lead perovskite semiconductors. This suggests that tin-based perovskites could be used to make solar cells that are not only really environmentally friendly but also very stable.
- Joint Kyiv Energy and Climate Lab goes liveHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy established on 27 November a Joint Energy and Climate Lab.
- How carbonates influence CO2-to-fuel conversionResearchers from the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society (FHI) have uncovered how carbonate molecules affect the conversion of CO2 into valuable fuels on gold electrocatalysts. Their findings reveal key molecular mechanisms in CO2 electrocatalysis and hydrogen evolution, pointing to new strategies for improving energy efficiency and reaction selectivity.