EneCoat Technologies’ thin and flexible perovskite solar cell can generate electricity in low-lighting conditions. (Image Credit: EneCoat Technologies)
Japan-based startup EneCoat Technologies is working on a thin-flexible perovskite solar cell film for solar panels, potentially rivaling China’s dominance in the global market. This technology turns light into energy via its perovskite crystalline structure. Commercialization is expected to begin at the end of 2024.
Previous studies demonstrated that perovskite cells were less efficient than silicon, and moisture affected them. The good news is the tech is undergoing improvements, so light and flexible solar products wrap around curved surfaces, producing electricity in poor lighting conditions. The light efficiency of perovskite was 3.8% in 2009 and jumped to 25.7% in 2021.
Last year, the University of Rochester discovered that perovskite cells' light efficiency conversion can be improved by 250%. They achieved this by using a metal layer or alternating layers of metal and dielectric material instead of glass.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised to make the perovskite tech commercially viable within two years. The country invested over $400 million so that companies could boost production. Meanwhile, in 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy formed a $29 million program for researching and developing solar technologies like perovskite.
However, perovskite crystals are more susceptible to degradation due to moisture exposure. To help counter this issue, Sekisui Chemical is creating a new sealant that extends the life span of perovskite cells by ten years.
The International Agency says that Chinese firms control over 80% of the silicon solar panel global supply chain. So far, the nation allocated over $50 billion toward photovoltaic capacity and generated upwards of 300,000 manufacturing jobs.
Although Japan could be the front-runner for solar cell tech developments, it didn’t always come out on top. Previously, Japan had the upper hand in solar panels, which China eventually beat and boosted manufacturing while reducing costs with the Chinese government’s financial assistance.
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