Thermophotovoltaic efficiency of 40%

LaPotin, Alina; Schulte, Kevin L.; Steiner, Myles A.; Buznitsky, Kyle; Kelsall, Colin C.; Friedman, Daniel J.; Tervo, Eric J.; France, Ryan M.; Young, Michelle R.; Rohskopf, Andrew; Verma, Shomik; Wang, Evelyn N.; Henry, Asegun

doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04473-y

Thermophotovoltaic efficiency of 40%

Journal Article · Wed Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04473-y· OSTI ID:1865112

LaPotin, Alina ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]; Buznitsky, Kyle ^[1]; Kelsall, Colin C. ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[2]; Young, Michelle R. ^[2]; Rohskopf, Andrew ^[1]; Verma, Shomik ^[1]; Wang, Evelyn N. ^[1]; Henry, Asegun ^[1]

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Thermophotovoltaics (TPVs) convert predominantly infrared wavelength light to electricity via the photovoltaic effect, and can enable approaches to energy storage and conversion that use higher temperature heat sources than the turbines that are ubiquitous in electricity production today. Since the first demonstration of 29% efficient TPVs (Fig. 1a) using an integrated back surface reflector and a tungsten emitter at 2,000°C (ref. 10), TPV fabrication and performance have improved. However, despite predictions that TPV efficiencies can exceed 50%, the demonstrated efficiencies are still only as high as 32%, albeit at much lower temperatures below 1,300 C (refs. 13,14,15). Here we report the fabrication and measurement of TPV cells with efficiencies of more than 40% and experimentally demonstrate the efficiency of high-bandgap tandem TPV cells. The TPV cells are two-junction devices comprising III–V materials with bandgaps between 1.0 and 1.4 eV that are optimized for emitter temperatures of 1,900–2,400°C. The cells exploit the concept of band-edge spectral filtering to obtain high efficiency, using highly reflective back surface reflectors to reject unusable sub-bandgap radiation back to the emitter. A 1.4/1.2 eV device reached a maximum efficiency of (41.1 ± 1)% operating at a power density of 2.39 W cm^–2 and an emitter temperature of 2,400°C. A 1.2/1.0 eV device reached a maximum efficiency of (39.3 ± 1)% operating at a power density of 1.8 W cm–2 and an emitter temperature of 2,127°C. These cells can be integrated into a TPV system for thermal energy grid storage to enable dispatchable renewable energy. This creates a pathway for thermal energy grid storage to reach sufficiently high efficiency and sufficiently low cost to enable decarbonization of the electricity grid.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308; AR0001005; EE0008375; EE0008381

OSTI ID:: 1865112

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1879110

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-80222; MainId:42425; UUID:6916e1dc-a675-4c78-b171-9bd740ce1649; MainAdminID:62875

Journal Information:: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 7905 Vol. 604; ISSN 0028-0836

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (50)

Free piston Stirling engines: A review Zare, Shahryar; Tavakolpour‐Saleh, AliReza International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 44, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/er.4533	journal	May 2019
Band gap-voltage offset and energy production in next-generation multijunction solar cells King, R. R.; Bhusari, D.; Boca, A. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 19, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.1044	journal	November 2010
Theoretical temperature dependence of solar cell parameters Fan, John C. C. Solar Cells, Vol. 17, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-6787(86)90020-7	journal	April 1986
Translation of device performance measurements to reference conditions Osterwald, C. R. Solar Cells, Vol. 18, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-6787(86)90126-2	journal	September 1986
A comprehensive experimental characterisation of a novel porous media combustion-based thermophotovoltaic system with controlled emission Gentillon, Philippe; Singh, Siddharth; Lakshman, Suhas Applied Energy, Vol. 254 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113721	journal	November 2019
Thermal energy grid storage: Liquid containment and pumping above 2000 °C Amy, Caleb; Pishahang, Mehdi; Kelsall, Colin Applied Energy, Vol. 308 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.118081	journal	February 2022
Development of micro-thermophotovoltaic power generator with heat recuperation Yang, W. M.; Chua, K. J.; Pan, J. F. Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 78 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2013.10.040	journal	February 2014
Development of a high-temperature and high-uniformity micro planar combustor for thermophotovoltaics application Jiang, Dongyue; Yang, Wenming; Tang, Aikun Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 103 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2015.06.083	journal	October 2015
Ultra high temperature latent heat energy storage and thermophotovoltaic energy conversion Datas, Alejandro; Ramos, Alba; Martí, Antonio Energy, Vol. 107 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.04.048	journal	July 2016
High-temperature Pumping of Silicon for Thermal Energy Grid Storage Amy, Caleb; Pishahang, Mehdi; Kelsall, Colin C. Energy, Vol. 233 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.121105	journal	October 2021
Storage Requirements and Costs of Shaping Renewable Energy Toward Grid Decarbonization Ziegler, Micah S.; Mueller, Joshua M.; Pereira, Gonçalo D. Joule, Vol. 3, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.06.012	journal	September 2019
Long-Duration Electricity Storage Applications, Economics, and Technologies Albertus, Paul; Manser, Joseph S.; Litzelman, Scott Joule, Vol. 4, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2019.11.009	journal	January 2020
Present Efficiencies and Future Opportunities in Thermophotovoltaics Burger, Tobias; Sempere, Caroline; Roy-Layinde, Bosun Joule, Vol. 4, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.06.021	journal	August 2020
Technological development in the Stirling cycle engines Thombare, D. G.; Verma, S. K. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 12, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2006.07.001	journal	January 2008
A review of combustion-driven thermoelectric (TE) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power systems Mustafa, K. F.; Abdullah, S.; Abdullah, M. Z. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 71 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.12.085	journal	May 2017
Thermophotovoltaic energy in space applications: Review and future potential Datas, A.; Martí, A. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 161 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2016.12.007	journal	March 2017
Pumping liquid metal at high temperatures up to 1,673 kelvin Amy, C.; Budenstein, D.; Bagepalli, M. Nature, Vol. 550, Issue 7675 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature24054	journal	October 2017
The design space for long-duration energy storage in decarbonized power systems Sepulveda, Nestor A.; Jenkins, Jesse D.; Edington, Aurora Nature Energy, Vol. 6, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00796-8	journal	March 2021
Near-perfect photon utilization in an air-bridge thermophotovoltaic cell Fan, Dejiu; Burger, Tobias; McSherry, Sean Nature, Vol. 586, Issue 7828 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2717-7	journal	September 2020
Perspectives on thermoelectrics: from fundamentals to device applications Zebarjadi, M.; Esfarjani, K.; Dresselhaus, M. S. Energy Environ. Sci., Vol. 5, Issue 1, p. 5147-5162 https://doi.org/10.1039/C1EE02497C	journal	January 2012
The prospect of high temperature solid state energy conversion to reduce the cost of concentrated solar power Henry, Asegun; Prasher, Ravi Energy Environ. Sci., Vol. 7, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1039/C4EE00288A	journal	January 2014
Thermophotovoltaics: a potential pathway to high efficiency concentrated solar power Seyf, Hamid Reza; Henry, Asegun Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 9, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1039/C6EE01372D	journal	January 2016
Enabling efficient heat-to-electricity generation at the mesoscale Chan, Walker R.; Stelmakh, Veronika; Ghebrebrhan, Michael Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 10, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1039/C7EE00366H	journal	January 2017
Thermal energy grid storage using multi-junction photovoltaics Amy, Caleb; Seyf, Hamid Reza; Steiner, Myles A. Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 12, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1039/C8EE02341G	journal	January 2019
20% Efficient InGaAs/InPAs Thermophotovoltaic Cells Siergiej, R. R. THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY: Fifth Conference on Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1539396	conference	January 2003
Back-surface Optimization of Germanium TPV Cells Fernández, J.; Dimroth, F.; Oliva, E. THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY: TPV7: Seventh World Conference on Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2711736	conference	January 2007
Thermophotovoltaics for Space Power Applications Wilt, David; Chubb, Donald; Wolford, David THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC GENERATION OF ELECTRICITY: TPV7: Seventh World Conference on Thermophotovoltaic Generation of Electricity, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2711751	conference	January 2007
40% efficient metamorphic GaInP∕GaInAs∕Ge multijunction solar cells King, R. R.; Law, D. C.; Edmondson, K. M. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 90, Issue 18 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2734507	journal	April 2007
High-efficiency GaInP∕GaAs∕InGaAs triple-junction solar cells grown inverted with a metamorphic bottom junction Geisz, J. F.; Kurtz, Sarah; Wanlass, M. W. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 91, Issue 2, Article No. 023502 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2753729	journal	July 2007
40.8% efficient inverted triple-junction solar cell with two independently metamorphic junctions Geisz, J. F.; Friedman, D. J.; Ward, J. S. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 93, Issue 12, Article No. 123505 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2988497	journal	September 2008
Optical enhancement of the open-circuit voltage in high quality GaAs solar cells Steiner, M. A.; Geisz, J. F.; García, I. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 113, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4798267	journal	March 2013
Enhanced external radiative efficiency for 20.8% efficient single-junction GaInP solar cells Geisz, J. F.; Steiner, M. A.; García, I. Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4816837	journal	July 2013
Thermal insulation of an ultra-high temperature thermal energy store for concentrated solar power Lang, Stephan; Bestenlehner, Dominik; Marx, Roman SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5067114	conference	January 2018
Inverted metamorphic AlGaInAs/GaInAs tandem thermophotovoltaic cell designed for thermal energy grid storage application Schulte, Kevin L.; France, Ryan M.; Friedman, Daniel J. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 128, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0024029	journal	October 2020
Ultraefficient thermophotovoltaic power conversion by band-edge spectral filtering Omair, Zunaid; Scranton, Gregg; Pazos-Outón, Luis M. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 116, Issue 31 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1903001116	journal	July 2019
Calibration and temperature profile of a tungsten filament lamp de Izarra, Charles; Gitton, Jean-Michel European Journal of Physics, Vol. 31, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1088/0143-0807/31/4/022	journal	June 2010
Towards a portable mesoscale thermophotovoltaic generator Chan, Walker R.; Stelmakh, Veronika; Karnani, Sunny Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Vol. 1052 https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1052/1/012041	journal	July 2018
Recent developments in thermophotovoltaic conversion Swanson, R. M. 1980 International Electron Devices Meeting https://doi.org/10.1109/IEDM.1980.189789	conference	January 1980
Generalized Optoelectronic Model of Series-Connected Multijunction Solar Cells Geisz, John F.; Steiner, Myles A.; Garcia, Ivan IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 5, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2478072	journal	November 2015
Design Flexibility of Ultrahigh Efficiency Four-Junction Inverted Metamorphic Solar Cells France, Ryan M.; Geisz, John F.; Garcia, Ivan IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 6, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2505182	journal	March 2016
Thermo-photo-voltaic energy conversion Wedlock, B. D. Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 51, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1109/PROC.1963.2261	journal	January 1963
Modelling of tandem cell temperature coefficients Friedman, D. J. Conference Record of the Twenty Fifth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1996 https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.1996.563954	conference	January 1996
27.6% Conversion efficiency, a new record for single-junction solar cells under 1 sun illumination Kayes, Brendan M.; Nie, Hui; Twist, Rose 2011 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2011.6185831	conference	June 2011
Greater Than 20% Radiant Heat Conversion Efficiency of a Thermophotovoltaic Radiator/Module System Using Reflective Spectral Control Wernsman, B.; Siergiej, R. R.; Link, S. D. IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 51, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2003.823247	journal	March 2004
Quaternary InGaAsSb Thermophotovoltaic Diodes Dashiell, Michael W.; Beausang, John F.; Ehsani, Hassan IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 53, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2006.885087	journal	December 2006
Review on the conversion of thermoacoustic power into electricity Timmer, Michael A. G.; de Blok, Kees; van der Meer, Theo H. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 143, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1121/1.5023395	journal	February 2018
Optical constants of silica glass from extreme ultraviolet to far infrared at near room temperature Kitamura, Rei; Pilon, Laurent; Jonasz, Miroslaw Applied Optics, Vol. 46, Issue 33 https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.46.008118	journal	January 2007
High-efficiency thermophotovoltaic energy conversion enabled by a metamaterial selective emitter Woolf, David N.; Kadlec, Emil A.; Bethke, Don Optica, Vol. 5, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.5.000213	journal	January 2018
Metamorphic epitaxy for multijunction solar cells France, Ryan M.; Dimroth, Frank; Grassman, Tyler J. MRS Bulletin, Vol. 41, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2016.25	journal	March 2016
Thermionic Energy Conversion in the Twenty-first Century: Advances and Opportunities for Space and Terrestrial Applications Go, David B.; Haase, John R.; George, Jeffrey Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 3 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmech.2017.00013	journal	November 2017

Similar Records

Investigation of Off-Stoichiometry in Ternary Nitrides by EDS and HRTEM

Journal Article · Wed Jul 29 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · Microscopy and Microanalysis · OSTI ID:1710153

Inverted Metamorphic AlGaInAs/GaInAs Tandem Thermophotovoltaic Cell Designed for Thermal Energy Grid Storage Application

Journal Article · Thu Oct 08 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Applied Physics · OSTI ID:1710145

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
25 ENERGY STORAGE
BSR
OMVPE
TEGS
TPV
back surface reflector
decarbonization
devices for energy harvesting
energy storage
solar energy and photovoltaic technology
thermal energy grid storage
thermophotovoltaic

Thermophotovoltaic efficiency of 40%

Citation Formats

References (50)

Similar Records

Related Subjects