EneCoat
EneCoat Technologies is a spin-off company from Kyoto University, established in January 2018, that develops perovskite solar cells. The company was launched with the full support of Kyoto University based on research seeds studied over several years by Wakamiya Laboratory at Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University.
Enecoat plans to use a low-temperature coating process to create uniform thin films, and utilize roll-to-roll technology (while taking advantage of the wet process' suitability for large areas and mass production) for commercialization.
EneCoat has raised close to JPY 20 billion from investors including Woven Capital, Inpex, Mitsubishi HC Capital, Mirai Creation Fund and Kyoto University Innovation Capital, and employs more than 100 people. It receives METI subsidies alongside Panasonic and Ricoh, with a target of 200-300 MW of annual capacity by 2030.
Contact information for EneCoat
Kyoto Perovskite Solar Cells Innovation Center（KPIC), 43-1, Sako Sotoyashiki, Kuse-gun
Kumiyama-cho, Kyoto
Japan
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, EneCoat to test perovskite-powered IoT devices at Niigata ice arena
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) has been selected under Niigata City's subsidy program for perovskite solar cell demonstration projects, and will work with EneCoat Technologies, the Kyoto-based perovskite solar cell developer, and Scholars Co., an Osaka firm led by Ritsumeikan University professor Takashi Minemoto, to test self-powered IoT devices combining perovskite solar cells with high-performance polycarbonate components.
The demonstration will run inside the MGC Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Ice Arena in Niigata's Chuo Ward, chosen specifically for its low-temperature, low-light, large indoor space, conditions where conventional solar cells generally can't generate useful power. Perovskite cells can generate electricity under low-light conditions, opening up indoor lighting as a viable power source for IoT devices in settings like this one. MGC said pairing the cells with its polycarbonate components, which are lightweight and impact-resistant, is meant to widen the range of locations and applications where such self-powered devices could be deployed.
Ricoh, Daiwa House & NTT join forces to promote building-integrated perovskite solar power
Japan’s Green Innovation Fund is driving several major perovskite solar initiatives, one of which is a project involving Panasonic, Ricoh, and EneCoat.
In addition to that first consortium, Ricoh has also joined forces with Daiwa House Industry and NTT Anode Energy, with their joint effort receiving separate support from the same Green Innovation Fund managed by NEDO. While the earlier project focuses on mass production and diverse applications—glass-type for construction integration (Panasonic) and thin films for flexible use (Ricoh and EneCoat)—the Ricoh–Daiwa House–NTT Anode Energy consortium aims for large-scale deployment of lightweight perovskite modules specifically suited for building-integrated and building-attached photovoltaic installations.
Japanese government funds Panasonic, Ricoh, EneCoat to advance perovskite solar technology
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has announced that it will allocate ¥24.6 billion (almost US$167 million) in subsidies over five years to three companies working to advance the mass production of perovskite solar cells.
This backing will go to Panasonic Holdings, Ricoh and EneCoat Technologies to support their technological innovations and pilot testing.
Macnica launches "Perovskite IoT Kit for Indoor Evaluation" featuring EneCoat Technologies' perovskite solar cells
Japan-based Macnica, a technology solutions company that provides products, services, and solutions focused on semiconductors, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, and autonomous driving, has announced the development of a "Perovskite IoT Kit for Indoor Evaluation" equipped with perovskite solar cells developed by EneCoat Technologies. Macnica has begun taking orders for this kit.
Macnica has been developing an air quality sensor using PSCs from Enecoat, a PSCs development startup spun out of Kyoto University, and has been conducting ongoing demonstration experiments. The newly developed kit supports wireless communication via a microcontroller, providing an environment in which to verify indoor power generation and basic IoT device operation. The PSCs installed in this kit are designed for use in low-light indoor environments, allowing users to confirm power generation performance in real-world environments. This will enable developers to more efficiently and smoothly develop IoT devices and embedded systems that utilize PSCs.
Enecoat and Toyota jointly develop perovskite/silicon 4-terminal tandem solar cell with >30% efficiency
EneCoat Technologies has announced a conversion efficiency of over 30% with a 4-terminal tandem cell consisting of stacked perovskite and crystalline silicon solar cells in a joint development project with Toyota Motor Corporation.
This achievement underscores the profound research and development capabilities of both companies in the field of perovskite solar cells and accelerates the practical application of high-efficiency solar cells, which is the objective of the joint development project. In this project, the two companies focused on the transmittance of perovskite solar cells and succeeded in improving the infrared transmittance to 81%.
