Greatcell Energy

An international team of researchers, including ones from Iritaly Trading Company, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Argonne National Laboratory and Italy-based Greatcell Solar, has reported a co-crystal engineering approach to improve the long-term stability of perovskite solar cells and modules.

The team used a neutral molecule, benzoguanamine, as a linker in low-dimensional perovskites, replacing conventional ionic molecules, to form a co-crystal. By applying this co-crystal layer onto the perovskite layer, they achieved power conversion efficiency of 23.4% in small-area solar cells, and 23.1% and 18.5% on solar modules with active areas of 9.0 cm² and 48 cm², respectively. The solar modules retained more than 95% and 98% of their initial efficiency after >5,000 h of 1-sun light soaking and >1,000 h of ultraviolet-ray exposure, respectively, at maximum power point conditions. They also retained more than 91% of their initial efficiency after >5,000 h of continuous thermal stress at 85 °C.

This is a sponsored post by Greatcell

Greatcell Solar Materials is offering the highest purity propane‐1,3‐diammonium iodide (PDAI; CAS Number: 120675-53-8) material, used as a precursor in the preparation of perovskite solar cells.

Several research groups have tested this material while producing innovative perovskite solar panels, and have shown how it can lead to increased power efficiency and stability.  

(X. Liu, M. Rienäcker, M. Gholipoor, L. Fang, T. Zhao, B. Hacene, J. Petermann, R. Cai, H. Hu, T. Feeney, F. Sadegh, P. Fassl, R. Guo, U. Lemmer, R. Peibst and U. W. Paetzold, Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, 18, 5599–5609, DOI: 10.1039/D5EE01486G.)

Australian start-up Halocell will reportedly begin producing flexible 7 centimeter-long photovoltaic strips that are said to generate enough power to replace the pair of disposable batteries in a TV remote, or the charger cable for a set of headphones. This represents the first large-scale manufacturing in Australia of perovskite PV technology.

The 5-volt Halocell perovskite strip. Image credit: Halocell

The Halocell modules will each cost less than a dollar to make and the Company has ambitious plans to produce millions per year, its CEO Paul Moonie said.

Researchers at CHOSE (Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy, University of Rome Tor Vergata), BeDimensional, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and GreatCell Solar Italia recently addressed the stability issues presented by perovskite solar cells, by developing an industrial encapsulation process based on the lamination of highly viscoelastic semi-solid/highly viscous liquid adhesive atop perovskite solar cells and modules. 

Sketch of the structure of the mesoscopic n-i-p PSCs. Image credit: Nature Communications 

The encapsulant reportedly reduces the thermomechanical stresses at the encapsulant/rear electrode interface. The addition of thermally conductive two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride into the polymeric matrix improves the barrier and thermal management properties of the encapsulant. Without any edge sealant, encapsulated devices withstood multifaceted accelerated ageing tests, retaining >80% of their initial efficiency.

Graphitic materials supplier First Graphene has announced an R&D collaboration with Greatcell Energy, trading as Halocell Energy, and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to commercialize perovskite solar cell fabrication. The project has received a Cooperative Research Centers Project (CRC-P) grant worth over AUD$2 million (around $USD1,300,000).

The research and development project is intended to commercialize ultra-low-cost, flexible perovskite solar cell fabrication using Halocell’s roll-to-roll production process at the company’s Wagga Wagga plant, First Graphene said in an announcement. Through the project, First Graphene plans to develop cost-effective graphene-based electrode replacements for high-cost conductor materials, such as gold and silver, used in cell manufacturing.