Performance\nEnhancement\nby Integrating the Ionic Thermoelectric\nGenerator with a Photovoltaic Cell

The\nglobal solar market is booming with a rapid growth\nin installed\nintegrated devices, while photovoltaic (PV) systems are suffering\nfrom waste heat, which causes the decline of the photovoltaic conversion\nefficiency (PCE). This study presents the seamless integration of\nthe ionic thermoelectric generator (iTEG) layer with traditional PV\nmodules, facilitating the exploitation of waste heat and augmenting\nthe overall power output. Experimental results validate the effectiveness\nof the iTEG, demonstrating substantial power generation and a consistent\nenergy output. Specifically, a power output of 515 mW/m<sup>2</sup> is achieved at a temperature difference of 20 K, while an energy\ndensity of 229.7 J/m<sup>2</sup> is recorded at a temperature difference\nof 10 K with an external resistance of 1 kΩ. Notably, this system\nmaintains continuous electricity generation over 100 cycles. Furthermore,\nthe iTEG effectively reduces the operating temperature of the solar\npanel by 2 °C, which is beneficial in minimizing PCE losses attributed\nto the temperature coefficient. This research holds substantial practical\nimplications, particularly for large-scale power generation leveraging\niTEG technology in conjunction with solar cells.