Flexibility

Guangdong Mellow Energy Technology has reportedly completed on-vehicle application validation of its flexible perovskite roof with Chinese state-owned automaker FAW Group. 

A full-size prototype has been fitted to the vehicle's double-curved surface, and the product has now moved into vehicle-level integration validation. Mellow Energy said its 1.5 m² flexible perovskite modules have reached a conversion efficiency of 19.1%, while its 300 x 300 mm ultralight flexible modules have reached 21.79%, with both module formats passing IEC 63163 and RoHS certification. The company has supplied FAW with both the 300 x 300 mm and square-meter-scale modules, supporting the process from performance testing through solution validation to vehicle integration as part of a broader push into customized vehicle-integrated photovoltaic (VIPV) applications.

Yanhe Solar, a Chinese thin-film perovskite solar manufacturer, has announced that it has finalized the prototype of "Nebula," its flexible perovskite solar wing for satellite power systems, built for compact stowage and passive deployment in orbit. The prototype is built on a 0.1 mm fully flexible polyimide substrate with an integrated roll-up design that allows it to be stowed to roughly the diameter of a thermos flask during launch, then unfurled once the satellite reaches orbit.

Yanhe Solar’s ‘Nebula’ flexible roll-up space solar wing engineering prototype can be stowed to the diameter of a thermos flask during launch and deployed via a passive mechanism once in orbit. Image credit: Yanhe Solar

Compared with conventional rigid or semi-flexible solar wing designs, the Nebula prototype reduces weight by 25% to 30% and achieves a 35-fold stowage ratio, addressing two of the main constraints on solar power generation capacity for small and mid-sized satellites, where launch volume and mass budgets are tightly limited. The passive deployment mechanism removes the need for additional actuators or motors to unfold the array once in orbit.

Chinese solar module manufacturer GCL System Integration Technology (GCL SI) has announced a certified power conversion efficiency of 33.44% for its self-developed flexible perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell. The result was verified by the China National Center of Inspection on Solar Photovoltaic Products Quality (CPVT).

GCL SI’s flexible perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell. Image Credit: GCL SI

Developed jointly with Soochow University, the cell also achieved a device-level power-to-weight ratio exceeding 2,000 W/kg. GCL SI said its research team produced lightweight, bendable cells that resist fracture by overcoming several challenges in ultra-thin silicon substrate integration, interface passivation, and flexible stress control.

MSWay and Halocell Energy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to supply electrode materials in support of Halocell’s production scale-up for flexible perovskite solar cell technology.

Under the agreement, MSWay will supply its proprietary Flexible Transparent Electrode (FTE) materials for integration into Halocell Energy’s Roll-to-Roll (R2R) manufacturing processes for perovskite solar cells. This strategic partnership aims to accelerate the commercialization of lightweight, high-efficiency flexible solar cells.

On July 11, China's Xianyang City held a signing ceremony for six optoelectronic industry projects in its High-tech Zone, totaling an investment of 7.8 billion yuan (approximately US$1.1 billion). Among the projects is a notable perovskite initiative led by Xi’an Tianjiao New Energy, focused on lightweight and flexible perovskite solar technologies.

The project builds on technology developed by Professor Wu Chaoxin’s team at Xi’an Jiaotong University, including a low-cost large-area fabrication process and high-reliability thin-film encapsulation. These advances are said to significantly improve both power conversion efficiency and operational stability, enabling ultra-thin, lightweight, and bendable photovoltaic devices.

Dazheng (Jiangsu) Micro-Nano Technology, a developer of perovskite thin-film solar modules and precision manufacturing equipment, has completed its A4 funding round, according to recent business registration updates. The round includes participation from Fujian Industrial Investment, which contributed RMB 598,900 in exchange for a 3.05% equity stake.

The capital raised is being directed toward the construction of what the company describes as the world’s first 100 MW production line dedicated to flexible perovskite modules. Once operational, the facility is expected to reach an annual output exceeding 800,000 square meters of modules. At full capacity, the production line could generate annual revenues in the hundreds of millions of yuan, marking a significant step toward commercialization of flexible perovskite technology.

BOE is reportedly preparing to launch large‑scale outdoor field testing of its perovskite PV modules across multiple extreme climate regions in China. According to recent industry reports, the company has commissioned a 200 kW perovskite outdoor demonstration base at its 10.5‑generation TFT‑LCD production park in Hefei, Anhui Province.

The Hefei demonstration facility will host BOE’s rigid, flexible, and tandem perovskite modules alongside reference cadmium telluride (CdTe) and crystalline silicon modules, including back‑contact (BC), TOPCon, and heterojunction (HJT) technologies. The goal is to perform side‑by‑side outdoor validation under real‑world operating conditions, focusing on long‑term stability, energy yield, and degradation behavior.

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.

A research team led by Kanazawa University has developed a one-step recycling strategy that enables the efficient recovery of toxic lead (Pb) and valuable metals, including gold (Au) and indium (In), from end-of-life flexible perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Flexible PSCs are gaining strong attention due to their high efficiency, lightweight structure, and compatibility with low-cost, large-area manufacturing. However, their complex multilayer architectures - typically incorporating Pb-based perovskite absorbers, Au electrodes, and indium tin oxide (ITO) on polymer substrates - pose challenges for end-of-life treatment. In particular, the lack of efficient recovery routes for toxic Pb and scarce metals such as Au and In has limited the development of circular lifecycle strategies. To address this issue, the researchers designed an integrated process based on a low-concentration mixed acid dissolution system combined with selective adsorption and controlled precipitation. The approach uses a HCl/HNO₃ mixture (1 M : 1 M) to dissolve encapsulated flexible PSC stacks in a single step, effectively breaking down complex device structures while avoiding the safety and environmental concerns associated with highly concentrated acids such as aqua regia.

The EU-funded LUMINOSITY project is advancing the industrialization of flexible perovskite solar cell (PSC) technology, with a strong focus on scalability, sustainability, and real-world deployment. Coordinated by TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research), the project brings together leading European research institutes, universities, and industrial partners to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale innovation and large-scale manufacturing.

LUMINOSITY - short for “Large area uniform industry compatible perovskite solar cell technology” - aims to enable commercially viable production of flexible perovskite photovoltaics using established industrial processes. Central to this effort is the adoption of roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing, targeting module efficiencies above 20% over areas exceeding 900 cm², while advancing the technology readiness level (TRL) to 7.