Lab Breakthrough Claims 130% Solar Energy Conversion in Lab Tests

Researchers in Japan and Germany report a lab method using tetracene and molybdenum to split high-energy blue photons, enabling singlet fission that yields about 130% energy conversion efficiency—surpassing the traditional Shockley–Queisser limit in controlled experiments. While promising, these results are early-stage and not yet practical for commercial panels, which remain around 25% efficient.