Modelling of High Performance OPVs with integrated storage

Organic Photovoltaic diodes (OPVs) have been the subject of intense research for more than 20 years due to the possibility of cheap, scalable manufacture of a renewable energy source which is well-suited to small-scale generation. For much of that time, tweaks in molecular structure and processing yielded devices with non-viable efficiencies of 7% or less. However, recent step-changes in OPV efficiency to above 17% have been demonstrated for Tandem architectures (Meng et al., Science, 361, 1094 (2018)), suggesting that Tandem devices are the key to unlocking the potential of organic semiconductors for energy generation.

A roadblock in the development of Tandem OPVs is the lack of accurate device simulations to i) enable rational design of the complex multi-layer structure and ii) understand the key issues of Tandem OPVs separate to single junction OPVs. Tandem OPV development therefore relies upon trial-and-error optimisation and simplistic detailed-balance analyses. These simple models ignore the details of many aspects of Tandem OPV performance that have been shown to be important in single-junction devices, such as morphology dependence of geminate and non-geminate recombination, internal electric field distribution, and charge injection to name a few.

This project may also extend to consider modelling of integrated storage with OPV modules, focussing on the role materials selection has upon performance, and ultimately integrated system characteristics.

ReNU's enhanced doctoral training programme delivered by three uniquely co-located major UK universities, Northumbria (UNN), Durham (DU) and Newcastle (NU), addresses clear skills needs in small-to-medium scale renewable energy (RE) and sustainable distributed energy (DE). It was co-designed by a range of companies and is supported by a balanced portfolio of 27 industrial partners (e.g. Airbus, Siemens and Shell) of which 12 are small or medium size enterprises (SMEs) (e.g. Enocell, Equiwatt and Power Roll). A further 9 partners include Government, not-for-profit and key network organisations. Together these provide a powerful, direct and integrated pathway to a range of impacts that span whole energy systems.

Industrial partners will interact with ReNU in three main ways: (1) through the Strategic Advisory Board; (2) by providing external input to individual doctoral candidate's projects; and (3) by setting Industrial Challenge Mini-Projects. These interactions will directly benefit companies by enabling them to focus ReNU's training programme on particular needs, allowing transfer of best practice in training and state-of-the-art techniques, solution approaches to R&D challenges and generation of intellectual property. Access to ReNU for new industrial partners that may wish to benefit from ReNU is enabled by the involvement of key networks and organisations such as the North East Automotive Alliance, the Engineering Employer Federation, and Knowledge Transfer Network (Energy).

In addition to industrial partners, ReNU includes Government organisations and not for-profit-organisations. These partners provide pathways to create impact via policy and public engagement. Similarly, significant academic impact will be achieved through collaborations with project partners in Singapore, Canada and China. This impact will result in research excellence disseminated through prestigious academic journals and international conferences to the benefit of the global community working on advanced energy materials.