Japanese electronics giant Sharp is reportedly planning to mass-produce lightweight, high-efficiency, and low-cost perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. Leveraging experience from OLED manufacturing, Sharp aims to cut production costs by around 10%, making solar more affordable than ever.

Reports suggest that by fiscal 2027, Sharp will roll out these tandem cells that layer perovskite on top of traditional silicon, boosting power conversion efficiency by absorbing more of the light spectrum. The perovskite material is incredibly thin and flexible, so it’s adaptable to various locations, and since it uses domestic iodine resources, it’s a win for Japan’s energy security - the development is part of a larger movement in Japan and across the Asia-Pacific region to lead the commercialization of perovskite solar technology. 

Researchers from LONGi Green Energy, Soochow University, Xi'an Jiaotong University and other institutions recently proposed a dual-buffer-layer strategy with a stress-release mechanism to synergistically mitigate ion bombardment during subsequent sputtering deposition and enhance interfacial adhesion while preserving efficient charge extraction. The loose SnOx buffer layer, engineered by adjusting the purging time of atomic layer deposition, can dissipate strain energy, whereas the compact SnOx layer can ensure robust electrical contact. 

Based on this dual-buffer-layer, the flexible tandem solar cell, constructed on a 60-micron thick ultra-thin silicon bottom cell, achieved a certified PCE of 33.4% on 1-cm² area, and an certified PCE of 29.8% on wafer-sized area of 260-cm² with a power-per-weight of up to 1.77 W/g. 

Don’t miss your chance to join the Perovskite Innovation Day 2026, a free virtual event that brings together leading innovators and experts from across the perovskite materials and device industry. This event is the perfect opportunity to stay updated on the latest breakthroughs, network with global professionals, and explore collaboration opportunities—all from the comfort of your home or office.​

You can see our agenda above (the Perovskite section is on Track 3). Our agenda features presentations from pioneering companies covering the full spectrum of the perovskite ecosystem, from materials and ink formulation to device processing, manufacturing tools, and encapsulation technologies. Attendees will gain first-hand insights into the innovations driving perovskite solar cells and emerging optoelectronic applications, making this a must-attend event for anyone interested in the future of perovskite technology.​

The Institute of Physics under the Henan Academy of Sciences, Henan Jinhongtai New Material Technology Co., Ltd., and Shangqiu Hongda Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. have reportedly jointly set up a pilot manufacturing base for perovskite tandem solar cells in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.

This pilot line has 3 core objectives: optimizing interfaces and tandem structures to reduce production costs; leveraging existing production lines to address scale-up challenges and complete mass production process design; and establishing a comprehensive performance testing system to provide technical standards for the industry.

Metal halide perovskites offer exceptional sensitivity for direct x-ray detection through direct current (DC) signals, but their soft lattices and mobile ions lead to signal instability and nonlinear current responses under direct current (DC) bias.

A team led by LI Yunlong from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with ZHU Ziyao and XU Xiumin from Anhui University, recently proposed an alternating current (AC) bias capacitance readout approach for metal halide perovskite X-ray detectors. This method replaces the conventional DC bias with a low-amplitude AC bias and reads out the accompanying capacitance modulation, effectively reducing the influence of ion migration on signal output.

A team of researchers, led by Prof. Ye Jichun from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed a novel multifunctional cage-like diammonium chloride molecule. This molecule effectively minimizes interfacial energy losses, allowing the resulting perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells (TSCs) to achieve high efficiency and stability.

Image from: Nature Communications

The researchers synthesized 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane chloride (DCl) and introduced it into the perovskite/C60 interface. The cage-like diammonium cation contains both Lewis acid (R3NH⁺) and Lewis base (R3N) functionalities, allowing it to act simultaneously as an electron donor and acceptor. This dual functionality effectively passivates surface defects, suppresses non-radiative recombination, and modulates interfacial dipole formation, thereby improving energy level alignment and charge selectivity. 

Reports suggest that Microquanta has unveiled a 2.88 m² perovskite commercial module, said to be the world’s largest of its kind. Measuring 2,400 × 1,200 mm, the module has reportedly been certified by TÜV SÜD with a power output of 509.21 W, an efficiency of 18.60%, Isc of 3.12 A, and Voc of 208.02 V.

The company said the 2.88 m² module demonstrates comparable stability to its smaller 0.79 m² version, indicating that large-size perovskite modules have now achieved the reliability required for mass production and shipment.

Researchers at Australia’s University of New South Wales (UNSW), in collaboration with the university spinout BT Imaging, are advancing a contactless solar cell inspection technology through a AUD$1.4 million (over US$900,000) project. 

“The incumbent ‘current-voltage’ testers must physically touch the fragile surface of cells, which often leads to damage. The method also struggles with current cell components such as multi-busbars, zero-busbars, and back contacts, as well as next-generation technologies like perovskite and tandem solar cells,” explains Project Lead Professor Ziv Hameiri. 

Here are some recent and popular perovskite industry and academia news that you may find of interest:

• Jietai Solar rolls out 210 × 105 mm tandem perovskite cell
• Italy’s 2026 budget law could signal a boost for perovskite PVs
• Verde Technologies launches new pilot manufacturing line
• GCL Perovskite launches its 1st large-size perovskite module
• New perovskite-based memristors can withstand more than 1,500 rewriting cycles
• Novel dipolar passivation approach enables 30.1% on all-perovskite PCE
• Yanhe Solar secures US$14 million in Series A Financing
• Perovskite-Info and Techblick conclude a highly successful Perovskite-Connect conference
• New flexible perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell achieves 26.5% efficiency
• Sunshine commissions MW-scale pilot line for large-area perovskite modules
• BOE reports perovskite PV progress across multiple technology platforms
• Hangzhou Kelin Electric (KLEC) to raise $200 million towards a 1GW perovskite plant
• TandemPV raises $50 Million to construct a commercial-scale manufacturing facility
• UtmoLight's GW-scale perovskite solar module fab goes online
• The perovskite PV market will reach almost $12 billion by 2035
• Researchers develop semi-transparent perovskite solar cells with 21.68% efficiency
• Akcome to invest $140 million in HJT-perovskite tandem solar cell facility
• Three Gorges Group 1 MW pilot perovskite PV plant is now connected to the grid
• Researchers fabricate full-color flexible microLEDs using perovskite QDs

Verde Technologies recently announced that its pilot manufacturing line in Waterbury, VT is officially up and running.

Verde’s transition to pilot manufacturing is a major milestone for the Company, that allows it to further expand its commercial contracts and customer deployments.