Tin Oxide Breakthrough Boosts Solar Efficiency Amid Silver Demand Slump

A recent breakthrough in solar panel technology has seen a tandem module swap its indium for tin oxide, achieving a certified efficiency of 31.0 percent on a minimodule of about 32 square inches.

The innovation uses reactive plasma deposition to gently deposit the metal vapor onto the perovskite layer, resolving the issue of high-energy particle damage that plagued previous attempts at using tin oxide.

While the new design shows promise, its durability in outdoor conditions remains a concern. After 105 days outside, the indium-free minimodules held only 65 percent of peak efficiency, which is far from what would be considered a warranty.

In contrast to the indium shortage, silver demand for photovoltaic applications is projected to fall by 19 percent this year, from roughly 187 million ounces to 151 million. This decline is attributed to manufacturers printing less silver per cell.