UK Researchers Advance Lightweight Cadmium Telluride Solar Cells for High-Efficiency Space Applications
Key Insights
UK researchers are developing ultra-thin, 20%-efficient cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells for lightweight space power applications.
The novel design integrates CdTe layers directly onto a flexible cover glass, reducing weight and enhancing radiation stability for extended missions.
This technology aims to offer a cost-effective, scalable alternative to current multi-junction cells, enabling lower launch costs and novel deployment.
The project, supported by EPSRC and industrial partners, focuses on high-volume production techniques and techno-economic understanding for competitive space manufacturing.
A collaborative effort by researchers from Swansea University and Loughborough University in the UK is advancing lightweight cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell technology, targeting high-efficiency applications for space arrays. The initiative aims to develop ultra-thin devices with an air mass zero (AM0) efficiency of 20% and a cell-specific power of 1.6 kW/kg, providing a robust, low-cost solar power solution for satellites and space-based manufacturing.
Dan Lamb of Swansea University’s Centre for Solar Energy Research highlighted the inherent radiation stability of CdTe, which promises extended mission lifetimes for these space photovoltaic technologies. The novel CdTe solar design features an ultra-thin, flexible cover that serves dual purposes as both substrate and radiation protection. This innovative approach involves depositing CdTe-based photovoltaic layers directly onto specialty space-qualified glass supplied by project partner Teledyne Qioptiq, thereby reducing the weight and cost associated with conventional cover glass lamination.
Building on prior successful low Earth orbit (LEO) testing of Swansea University’s CdTe technology aboard the AlSat-1N 3U CubeSat satellite launched in 2016, the current project targets higher efficiencies and larger scales. Key advancements include the integration of selenium into CdTe (CdSeTe) PV and incorporating developments from a doped emitter project with Loughborough University. These include a high-resistivity zinc oxide (ZnO) layer between the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) and the CdSeTe absorber, along with new customized anti-reflection coatings.
The primary objective for these novel CdTe space solar cells is to enable arrays with significantly lower stowage volumes, which opens possibilities for novel deployment methods and applications while contributing to reduced launch costs. Researchers emphasize the potential for longer deployment durations in space. Furthermore, the project focuses on utilizing low-cost, high-volume production techniques to meet the rapidly expanding demand for space satellites and missions. A deeper understanding of the material's and device architecture's radiation stability is also a core objective. Lamb noted, “In parallel, we are working to develop a techno-economic understanding of how CdTe-based photovoltaics could be manufactured for space competitively, and which space applications it would be best suited for.”
This CdTe cell technology is positioned as a lighter, cheaper, and highly radiation-resistant alternative to multi-junction solar cells, which currently dominate the space market. While multi-junction cells offer high efficiency, their complex manufacturing processes and high costs limit scalability. The three-year collaboration is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and involves teams from Swansea’s CISM and Loughborough’s CREST, alongside six industrial partners including 5N Plus, CTF Solar, Manufacturing Technology Centre, Satellite Applications Catapult, Teledyne Qioptiq, and Aixtron.