Perovskite Solar
What are perovskites?
Perovskites refer to a class of materials that share a similar structure, which display a myriad of exciting properties like superconductivity, magnetoresistance and more. These easily synthesized materials are considered the future of solar cells, as their distinctive structure makes them perfect for enabling low-cost, efficient photovoltaics. They are also predicted to play a role in next-gen electric vehicle batteries, sensors, lasers and much more.
How does the PV market look today?
In general, Photovoltaic (PV) technologies can be viewed as divided into two main categories: wafer-based PV (also called 1st generation PVs) and thin-film cell PVs. Traditional crystalline silicon (c-Si) cells (both single crystalline silicon and multi-crystalline silicon) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) cells belong to the wafer-based PVs, with c-Si cells dominating the current PV market (about 90% market share) and GaAs exhibiting the highest efficiency.
Thin-film cells normally absorb light more efficiently than silicon, allowing the use of extremely thin films. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) technology has been successfully commercialized, with more than 20% cell efficiency and 17.5% module efficiency record and such cells currently hold about 5% of the total market. Other commercial thin-film technologies include hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and copper indium gallium (di)selenide (CIGS) cells, taking approximately 2% market share each today. Copper zinc tin sulphide technology has been under R&D for years and will probably require some time until actual commercialization.
What is a perovskite solar cell?
An emerging thin-film PV class is being formed, also called 3rd generation PVs, which refers to PVs using technologies that have the potential to overcome current efficiency and performance limits or are based on novel materials. This 3rd generation of PVs includes DSSC, organic photovoltaic (OPV), quantum dot (QD) PV and perovskite PV.
A perovskite solar cell is a type of solar cell which includes a perovskite structured compound, most commonly a hybrid organic-inorganic lead or tin halide-based material, as the light-harvesting active layer. Perovskite materials such as methylammonium lead halides are cheap to produce and relatively simple to manufacture. Perovskites possess intrinsic properties like broad absorption spectrum, fast charge separation, long transport distance of electrons and holes, long carrier separation lifetime, and more, that make them very promising materials for solid-state solar cells.
Perovskite solar cells are, without a doubt, the rising star in the field of photovoltaics. They are causing excitement within the solar power industry with their ability to absorb light across almost all visible wavelengths, exceptional power conversion efficiencies already exceeding 20% in the lab, and relative ease of fabrication. Perovskite solar cells still face several challenge, but much work is put into facing them and some companies, are already talking about commercializing them in the near future.
What are the advantages of Perovskite solar cells?
Put simply, perovskite solar cells aim to increase the efficiency and lower the cost of solar energy. Perovskite PVs indeed hold promise for high efficiencies, as well as low potential material & reduced processing costs. A big advantage perovskite PVs have over conventional solar technology is that they can react to various different wavelengths of light, which lets them convert more of the sunlight that reaches them into electricity.
Moreover, they offer flexibility, semi-transparency, tailored form factors, light-weight and more. Naturally, electronics designers and researchers are certain that such characteristics will open up many more applications for solar cells.
What is holding perovskite PVs back?
Despite its great potential, perovskite solar cell technology is still in the early stages of commercialization compared with other mature solar technologies as there are a number of concerns remaining.
One problem is their overall cost (for several reasons, mainly since currently the most common electrode material in perovskite solar cells is gold), and another is that cheaper perovskite solar cells have a short lifespan. Perovskite PVs also deteriorate rapidly in the presence of moisture and the decay products attack metal electrodes. Heavy encapsulation to protect perovskite can add to the cell cost and weight. Scaling up is another issue - reported high efficiency ratings have been achieved using small cells, which is great for lab testing, but too small to be used in an actual solar panel.
A major issue is toxicity - a substance called PbI is one of the breakdown products of perovskite. This is known to be toxic and there are concerns that it may be carcinogenic (although this is still an unproven point). Also, many perovskite cells use lead, a massive pollutant. Researchers are constantly seeking substitutions, and have already made working cells using tin instead. (with efficiency at only 6%, but improvements will surely follow).
What’s next?
While major challenges indeed exist, perovskite solar cells are still touted as the PV technology of the future, and much development work and research are put into making this a reality. Scientists and companies are working towards increasing efficiency and stability, prolonging lifetime and replacing toxic materials with safer ones. Researchers are also looking at the benefits of combining perovskites with other technologies, like silicon for example, to create what is referred to as “tandem cells”.
Guangdong Mellow Energy reaches new efficiency milestone for flexible perovskite space module
Guangdong Mellow Energy has announced that its self-developed 30×30 cm² ultra‑flexible perovskite photovoltaic module has achieved a TÜV NORD‑certified power conversion efficiency of 21.79%. The company says this places the device among the most efficient flexible perovskite modules of its size worldwide, and highlights that the module also reaches an industry‑leading power‑to‑mass ratio of 26 W/g, outperforming most mainstream thin‑film PV technologies.
Mellow Energy notes that this combination of high efficiency and extreme lightweight design is aimed specifically at aerospace and satellite applications, where every gram of payload has a direct impact on launch cost and available capacity. In current commercial satellite constellations and future large orbital infrastructure, the power‑to‑mass ratio is a core benchmark for space power systems, as higher power output per unit weight allows operators to install more equipment, extend mission lifetimes and reduce launch expenses.
Synergistic surface engineering delivers 23.54% efficient WBG perovskite solar cells
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Guangxi University and Beijing University of Technology have developed a dual-molecule surface passivation strategy that significantly improves both the efficiency and operational stability of wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite solar cells.
Wide-bandgap perovskites, typically incorporating ≥20% bromine in APb(I1−xBrx)3, are essential for tandem solar cells but suffer from small grain sizes, high densities of grain boundaries, and interfacial defects. These structural limitations accelerate non-radiative recombination and degradation under heat, light, and moisture, ultimately limiting performance and long-term stability. Despite rapid progress - power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 27% within 15 years - these devices still fall short of the Shockley–Queisser limit by around 4%, largely due to interfacial losses.
ARENA‑backed consortium reports high‑efficiency, stable Si–perovskite tandem cells
The Australian National University (ANU) and partners Jinko Solar, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Melbourne have reported progress towards cost‑effective silicon-perovskite tandem modules on passivating‑contact silicon cells, including monolithic tandem efficiencies up to 34.76% on Jinko’s TOPCon platform and 26.61% on 20 cm² devices processed with scalable blade‑coating.
This work arises from the ARENA‑funded project “Cost‑effective Si/Perovskite Tandem Modules on Passivating Contact Si Cells” (TRAC005 / PRO‑1930), launched in December 2022 and scheduled to run until April 2028, which targets commercial‑ready monolithic silicon‑perovskite tandem (SPT) technology and significant production capacity by the end of the project.”
New light-reflecting layer boosts the efficiency of perovskite solar cells
Researchers at St. Mary's School-Wuhan and Guizhou Institute of Technology have demonstrated a simple light-management strategy for perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by introducing a Zn2SiO4 rear light-reflecting layer fabricated via a doctor-blade coating process. The approach targets optical losses in the visible spectrum and enhances device performance without modifying the core device architecture.
The Zn2SiO4 layer exhibits strong reflectivity across the 450-780 nm wavelength range, effectively reflecting transmitted photons back into the perovskite absorber. This recycled light increases the probability of photon absorption within the active layer, leading to measurable improvements in device output. External quantum efficiency (EQE) is enhanced across this spectral region, directly translating into an increase in the EQE-integrated short-circuit current density (Jsc) from 16.00 to 16.40 mA cm−2.
HZB and Humboldt University reach 25.5% efficiency of CIGS-perovskite tandem cell
Researchers from Humboldt University of Berlin (HU) and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have set a new efficiency record of 25.5% for a tandem solar cell combining CIGSe (copper indium gallium selenide) with perovskite. The device, slightly larger than 1 cm², surpasses the team’s previous record of 24.6% achieved last year for the same material system.
The new result has been independently certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and has been included in the widely recognized Solar Cell Efficiency Tables, often referred to as the “Green Tables,” which serve as a global benchmark for photovoltaic performance.
Yanhe Technology and Soochow University launch joint perovskite-silicon tandem lab
Yanhe Technology and Soochow University have signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement to jointly build a research and development laboratory dedicated to perovskite - crystalline silicon tandem solar cells. The new joint lab will serve as a core platform for university-enterprise collaborative innovation, targeting key technical bottlenecks across the full industry chain - from fundamental research through engineering, mass production and end‑use applications.
Under the joint construction plan, the lab will focus specifically on perovskite / crystalline silicon tandem solar cells as a “core track,” aiming to develop original, industry‑leading technologies and products while systematically resolving pain points in R&D, production and application. The cooperation will follow an enterprise‑led, university‑supported and two‑way innovation model. Soochow University will concentrate on basic research and theoretical advances to continuously support Yanhe’s technology upgrades, while Yanhe Technology will drive engineering scaling, pilot verification and process maturation of university results, opening a complete pathway from lab‑scale research to market‑ready applications.
Flexell Space selected to lead Korean national R&D project on space perovskite tandem solar modules
South Korea’s Flexell Space has been selected as the lead organization for a large-scale national R&D project focused on low‑cost, high‑efficiency space perovskite tandem solar modules.
Image by Flexell Space
The three‑year project, funded with a total budget of around KRW 10.7 billion (about US$7 million), aims to develop next‑generation thin‑film tandem devices and validate their performance and reliability in real space environments.
Daiichi Jitsugyo Launches Global Sales Initiative for Amorton Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells
Daiichi Jitsugyo Co., Ltd. (DJK), a leading global machinery trading company, has officially commenced full-scale international sales of high-performance amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cells manufactured by Amorton Co., Ltd. (Amorton). By leveraging this partnership, DJK aims to accelerate the adoption of a-Si technology and strengthen its capacity to provide tailored solar energy solutions across global markets, with a strategic focus on Europe, the United States, and Taiwan.
Superior Performance in Low-Light and Indoor Environments
The Amorton line of amorphous silicon solar cells is engineered for resilience against temperature fluctuations and features high sensitivity within the visible light spectrum. These characteristics enable exceptional power generation efficiency even under weak indoor lighting, such as fluorescent or LED sources.
Furthermore, Amorton utilizes an integrated structure that connects multiple cells in series. This design offers a high degree of engineering flexibility, allowing for the delivery of customized voltage outputs optimized for the specific requirements of the integrated device.
Maxwell delivers first commercial perovskite‑HJT tandem cell production line
PV equipment manufacturer Maxwell Technologies has delivered its first commercial perovskite‑silicon heterojunction (HJT) tandem solar cell production line to an undisclosed customer.
According to Maxwell, the new line is designed for 210 mm half‑cut, full‑area perovskite‑HJT tandem cells. It incorporates upgraded precision equipment control, an enhanced manufacturing environment, and improved production stability to support process verification and future capacity ramp‑up.
Beihang University develops co-anchored SAM strategy to enable 25.7% efficient perovskite solar cells
Beihang University researchers have developed a “pre-assembly co-anchoring” strategy to address longstanding interfacial limitations in carbazole-based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) used as hole transport layers (HTLs) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
Carbazole-based SAMs are widely employed in inverted (p-i-n) PSC architectures due to their tunable electronic properties and ability to selectively extract holes. However, their practical performance is often limited by weak interactions with NiOx substrates and a tendency toward molecular self-aggregation. These issues lead to incomplete surface coverage, pinhole formation, and poor interfacial contact, ultimately causing severe non-radiative recombination losses and reductions in open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF). To overcome these challenges, the team introduced a multifunctional co-assembling molecule, 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (TFPA), into the SAM system alongside MeO-2PACz.
