Emerging PV Stability Contest

Dear workshop participants,


After the success of the first edition of the Stability Contest, we are pleased to announce the 2026 edition of the stability contest to the tandemPV and ISOS participants. New efficiency records have been achieved this year with perovskite/silicon tandem devices. As a result, it is becoming increasingly evident that in addition to efficiency and upscaling potential, the reliability and long-term stability of these devices are of critical relevance. To further inspire the research community, we are reintroducing this contest, which evaluates not only efficiency but also device area and endurance under stringent stress tests.

It is now clear that stability under humidity exposure or damp-heat conditions can be achieved through a combination of optimized device properties and excellent encapsulation. However, perovskite devices face their next challenge under realistic operating conditions involving temperature and illumination. While these parameters do not encompass the full range of stress and reliability tests, they represent a critical milestone before moving on to more comprehensive stability, reliability, and outdoor testing.

The contest aims to identify state-of-the-art tandem and single-junction devices based on their endurance against performance degradation under one-sun illumination at a constant temperature of up to 85 °C. Due to the success, contest winners will be announced twice a year: at the tandemPV workshop and at the ISOS conference.

While the contest is not a scientifically exhaustive method, its purpose is to draw attention to a critical degradation mechanism in perovskite devices and in general new emerging materials. Efficiency is no longer the sole determining parameter of a new material success.

We are once again employing a point system:

- 50% of the points are awarded for stability
- 25% for efficiency, and
- 25% for device area.

This means a stable device with a large area and acceptable efficiency will outperform one that achieves the highest efficiency alone.

We encourage you to submit your most stable device for consideration in the Stability Contest.

Looking forward to meeting you at the tandemPV!

The Emerging PV Stability Contest steering committee,
Gianluca Coletti (UNSW), Erkan Aydin (LMU Munich), Daniel Tune (ISC), Valerio Zardetto (TNO), Martin Schubert (Fraunhofer ISE), Solenn Berson (CEA), Monica Lira-Cantu (ICN2), Aranzazu Aguirre (imec), Pilar Lopez-Varo (IPVF), Carolin Ulbrich (HZB), Kaining Ding (FZ Jülich).

Information

Requirements, Disclaimer & Note

This questionnaire aims to collect information to select the winners for the 3rd Stability Contest 2026. Stability is one of the most serious issues for tandems currently and the contest criteria have been designed to incentivize characteristics required for commercial readiness. The contest is nevertheless meant to be a fun and light-hearted part of the workshop program and all winners will receive a very special certificate, so go ahead and submit your best results now!

First prize will be allocated for the ranking of the stability scores of each category.

Contest Deadlines
Rules of the Contest
  1. Categories

    Tandem Solar Cells and Modules
    Open to emerging technologies (Perovskite/Si, Perovskite/Perovskite, Perovskite/CIGS, Organic/Perovoskite, etc)

    Single-Junction Cells and Modules
    Limited to perovskite and emerging technologies
    (Silicon, III-V, CdTe, and CIGS are not eligible for this category)

  2. Technical Participation Requirements

    Standardized Testing:
    Accelerated stability tests must be performed at Maximum Power Point (MPP) under 1-sun illumination.

    Thermal Threshold:
    Tests conducted below 50°C will not be considered, as the contest focuses on accelerated aging.

    Area Matching:
    For mechanically stacked (4T) or module-based tandems, the top and bottom devices must have matched areas. Efficiency is calculated as the sum of both devices.

    Required Evidence:
    Participants must provide:
    + J–V curves (before and after testing) in CSV format
    + CSV file of Elapsed Time vs. PCE, including temperature & illumination data
    + A technical PDF with detailed device and testing descriptions
    + (Optional for finalists) A 2-minute presentation video

  3. Scoring Breakdown (Total: 100 Points)

    The final score is a weighted combination of three metrics:

    Stability (50%)
    Based on the time required to reach 90% of initial PCE (T90).
    Higher temperatures receive higher weighting.
    Example:
     + 2000 hours at 85°C → 50 points
    + Same duration at 55°C → 25.6 points

    Efficiency (25%)
    Based on initial PCE. Encapsulation is considered:
    + Industry-relevant encapsulation → full points
    + Edge sealing only → 15% penalty
    + No encapsulation → 30% penalty

    Device Area (25%)
    Rewards scalability:
    + ≥300 cm² (M10 and above) → 25 points
    + ≤0.50 cm² (pixel cells) → 6.7 points

  4. Privacy and Recognition

    Anonymity by Default:
    Only the top winner in each category will be publicly announced. All other participants remain anonymous.

    Evaluation Committee:
    Experts from TNO, LMU, Fraunhofer ISE, UNSW SPREE, CSEM, IPVF, and Forschungszentrum Jülich.

    Benchmarking Report:
    Each participant will receive a private report comparing their results to the competition average (if statistically significant).

    Winner Presentation:
    Winners will be invited to give a short presentation or submit a 2-minute video.
Submission Requirements

To participate, please prepare:

  1. Contact Information: Name and institution

  2. Device Specifications: Configuration and device area (cm²)

  3. Performance Metrics:
     + BOL (Beginning of Life) efficiency
    + EOL (End of Life) efficiency

  4. Stability Test Conditions:
     + Temperature (°C)
    + Total test duration (hours)
    + Illumination intensity

  5. Mandatory Uploads:
     + CSV of J–V curves (pre- and post-test)
    + CSV of stability tracking (time vs. PCE)
    + Technical PDF with detailed information
Awards
  • The winner of the tandemPV category will receive a €200 voucher
  • The single-junction category award will be a €100 voucher,

both sponsored by Lumartix SA.

Submission Deadline is NOW EXTENDED to June 16, 2026

Submit Your Results HERE!