Reports suggest that a number of renewable-related projects have recently been signed in Shanghai, China, including a 1GW perovskite module factory.

The perovskite solar module factory will be initiated by Wuxi UtmoLight Technology (UtmoLight), a China-based technology development company working towards perovskite commercialization, with a total investment of 1.5 billion yuan ( around USD$212,221,000), The new facility will be located in Heze City, Shandong Province.

Researchers at the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung - ZSW) in Germany are working with two industry partners to investigate how end-of-life thin-film solar modules can be reused. The partners in the new 'PeroCycle' project aim to develop an industrially viable recycling process for perovskite solar modules in four steps. 

ZSW's two partners are Solaveni of Bönen and Solar Materials of Magdeburg. Solaveni brings expertise from the chemical processing of perovskite materials while Solar Materials specializes in the physical separation of composite materials without the use of chemicals. The scientists at the ZSW can draw on over 30 years of experience with thin-film solar modules and over ten years of materials research on perovskite solar cells and modules. The German Federal Environmental Foundation (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt - DBU) is funding the joint project.

Researchers from Duke University, University of Colorado - Boulder, Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, Polish Academy of Sciences and University of Lille CNRS have examined the local structure of halide perovskites in their molten and glassy states, revealing the critical connection between these structures and the contrasting properties observed in their crystalline vs glassy states. 

The findings of this work enhance scientists' understanding of the diverse structural motifs in perovskites and how structural changes in perovskite glass impact their properties, paving the way for advancements in next-generation phase change materials and devices.

Researchers from China's Northwestern Polytechnical University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Spain's Technical University of Madrid have developed a new lithium-free doping strategy to fabricate spiro-OMeTAD-based hole transport layers (HTLs) for applications in perovskite solar cell. A PV device built with a lithium salt-doped HTL achieved an efficiency of 25.45%.

Schematic illustration of a n-i-p PSC with spiro-OMeTAD HTLs doped by LiTFSI or Eu(TFSI)₂. Image from Nature Communications

The team's lithium-free doping strategy to fabricate a perovskite solar cell is based on a metal-free hole transport layer (HTL) made of spiro-OMeTAd that reportedly offers remarkable efficiency and stability levels. The research team explained that spiro-OMeTAD for perovskite cell applications is usually doped with a compound known as lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) to enhance hole extraction and conductivity. This kind of doping, however, requires time-intensive air-oxidization for 24 hours, which reportedly represents an obstacle to the commercial production of perovskite PV devices.

An NSW Smart Sensing Network Grand Challenge Fund project is hoping to eliminate the reliance of sensors on disposable batteries by testing the fast production of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) cells, in the hope of creating a more sustainable sensor power source. The NSW Smart Sensing Network, a consortium of eight leading universities across NSW and the ACT, is a not-for-profit innovation network that brings together universities, industry and government to translate world-class research into innovative smart sensing solutions that create value for NSW and beyond.

The Revolutionizing Indoor Sensor Power: Rapid Microwave Annealing for Ultra-low-cost Perovskite Solar Cells project is being led by Dr. Binesh Veettil, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering at Macquarie University. “Perovskite cells offer continuous power, and are ideal for harvesting indoor light to power low-power sensors,” Dr. Veettil says. “They are cost-effective when mass manufactured and they are suitable for roll-to-roll manufacturing as they can be screen-printed, slot-die coated, or spray-painted. Unfortunately the lengthy annealing time required is a challenge to be addressed to enable their widespread adoption.”

Researchers from CHOSE (Centre for Hybrid and Organic Solar Energy) at Tor Vergata University of Rome, ENEA Frascati Research Centre, Fraunhofer FEP, University of Guilan and Halocell Europe have developed perovskite solar cells (PSCs) on polycarbonate films.

Despite polycarbonate's widespread use in many applications, poor chemical resistance and roughness have hindered its adoption as a substrate in solar cell technologies. These challenges were solved by developing a new planarizing layer over the polycarbonate films applied in liquid form using blade coating. This innovation reduced surface roughness from 1.46 µm to 23 nm, cut the water vapor transmission rate in half, and improved solvent resistance. As a result, the scientists achieved a power conversion efficiency of 13.0% for solar cells on polycarbonate substrates, with good durability and flexibility.

A team of researchers, led by Professor David Di from the International College of Zhejiang University and the School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, recently achieved a continuous transition from n-type to p-type perovskite semiconductors through molecular doping, while maintaining extremely high luminescence performance. 

Image credit: Zhejiang University

Based on controllable doping, the team developed a perovskite LED with a simple structure and reported a record for the highest brightness of solution-based LEDs, reaching 1.16 million nits.

Earlier this week, the equipment moving ceremony for the perovskite photovoltaic cell pilot line of Hefei BOE Solar Technology was held in Hefei Xinzhan High-tech Zone. This follows BOE's recent decision to invest in a new pilot line for the production of perovskite solar cells.

It was reported that Hefei BOE Solar Technology was established in March 2024. The perovskite photovoltaic experimental line (including laboratory) and pilot line projects it invested in and constructed are committed to forming a technical echelon through continuous verification and optimization of material systems, structural design, process routes, etc., to achieve the expected efficiency and life levels, and thus promote perovskite photovoltaic technology from the laboratory to industrialization.

Researchers from Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have addressed critical challenges in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), significantly enhancing both their efficiency and stability. The team achieved precise control over ion arrangement and reduced structural irregularities by incorporating a bidirectional coordinator between the perovskite photoactive layer and the electron transport layer.

Image credit: UNIST

The research team introduced trifluoroacetate (TFA-) ions between the perovskite layer and the tin oxide substrate, which serves as the electron transport layer (ETL), to mitigate defects.

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.