Heping Shen (65min)

Australian National University

Abstract

The key driver for the expansion of solar PV lies in further significant reduction of cost and increase of solar-to power efficiency. Continuous cost reductions in materials and manufacturing, along with technological advancements including efficiency improvements in industrial silicon (Si) solar cells will contribute to this progress. However, the current Si solar cell technology faces a theoretical efficiency limit of 29% leaving limited room for further improvement, making it urgent to develop next-generation solar cell technologies that can surpass this limit. In this seminar, I will present my work on the development of tandem solar cell technologies that surpass the 30% solar-to-power efficiency barrier while targeting ultra-low production costs. The talk will cover advancements ranging from material innovation and device fabrication to engineering and fundamental investigations. Topics will include, but are not limited to: (1) Tandem solar cells based on commercial TOPCon technology, (2) Interconnect-free tandem architectures, and (3) Tandem devices utilizing p-i-n versus n-i-p perovskite structures.

Brief Bio

Dr. Heping Shen is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering at the Australian National University, where she leads a research team focused on developing next-generation, ultra-low-cost solar cell technologies, including perovskite and tandem solar cells. She was recently awarded the prestigious IEEE Stuart R. Wenham Young Professional Award. She received her Bachelor’s degree with a University Medal in Materials Science and Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and her PhD from Tsinghua University. With around 15 years of experience in photovoltaic research, Dr. Shen is driven by a deep commitment to making clean, reliable, and affordable electricity accessible to communities worldwide. Her team has achieved multiple efficiency records for both single-junction perovskite and tandem solar cells. She has published more than 100 papers in top-tier journals such as Nature, Science, and Nature Reviews Materials. Dr. Shen has also played a leading role in securing and managing a few large, multi-partner research projects, and collaborates extensively with major solar manufacturers including Jinko Solar and Risen Energy to advance the commercialization of next-generation photovoltaic technologies.