Photovoltaic-electrolysis water splitting (PV-EWS) is the most promising approach for high solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency. The present PV-EWS systems achieve the highest STH performance by using a III−V triple-junction configuration, which, however, involves a complex and expensive manufacture process. Therefore, in this work, we demonstrate a III−V double junction device that can be used as an alternative to the III−V triple-junction device for high STH conversion efficiency of the PV-EWS systems. We estimate the STH performance via coupling world-recorded multi-junction photovoltaic (PV) and our experimented cell configurations with an EWS system. The results show that the III−V double junction, owing to the good trade-off between the efficiency loss and compensation, exhibits a higher STH efficiency than the III−V triple-junction. Furthermore, strategies for improving the efficiency of the III−V double junction device for low-cost PV-EWS system are discussed.

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Posted 16 Mar, 2021
Received 14 Mar, 2021
Invitations sent on 13 Mar, 2021
On 01 Mar, 2021
On 01 Mar, 2021
On 24 Feb, 2021
Posted 16 Mar, 2021
Received 14 Mar, 2021
Invitations sent on 13 Mar, 2021
On 01 Mar, 2021
On 01 Mar, 2021
On 24 Feb, 2021
Photovoltaic-electrolysis water splitting (PV-EWS) is the most promising approach for high solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency. The present PV-EWS systems achieve the highest STH performance by using a III−V triple-junction configuration, which, however, involves a complex and expensive manufacture process. Therefore, in this work, we demonstrate a III−V double junction device that can be used as an alternative to the III−V triple-junction device for high STH conversion efficiency of the PV-EWS systems. We estimate the STH performance via coupling world-recorded multi-junction photovoltaic (PV) and our experimented cell configurations with an EWS system. The results show that the III−V double junction, owing to the good trade-off between the efficiency loss and compensation, exhibits a higher STH efficiency than the III−V triple-junction. Furthermore, strategies for improving the efficiency of the III−V double junction device for low-cost PV-EWS system are discussed.

Figure 1

Figure 2
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