Panasonic has announced it will exhibit an artistic prototype based on glass-type perovskite solar cells at the Panasonic Group Pavilion "Nomo no Kuni" at the 2025 World Expo in Japan (Osaka-Kansai Expo). For this Expo, Panasonic has collaborated with Heralbony, which has worked on many projects to decorate towns with artworks drawn by artists with disabilities, to express "Kaede no Scissors" by Wajima Kaede, a contracted artist of the company.
Image credit: Panasonic
Panasonic's glass-type perovskite solar cells are characterized by their high degree of freedom in size, transparency, and drawing, achieved by combining unique material technology, inkjet coating methods, and laser processing technology. The company is currently developing the technology to commercialize the "power-generating glass". This prototype makes use of these features, broadening the scope of design expression using perovskite solar cells and demonstrating the possibility of creating a world where electricity is generated in a more natural way. This is the world's first case (according to Panasonic research as of February 14, 2025) where art has been expressed using perovskite solar cells.
The prototype's size will be W1,000 mm x H1,800 mm.
Panasonic explained that towards the realization of a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society, the use of solar cells is expected as a means of further generating renewable energy. In places like Japan, where flat land area is small and installation space is limited, power generation using building windows and walls is essential, but conventional crystalline silicon solar cells have issues with installation on glass such as windows from the standpoint of transparency and design.
Panasonic's glass-type perovskite solar cells will solve these issues and contribute to a significant increase in the number of places where solar cells can be installed, including in urban areas. Panasonic aims to have them chosen as a new solution that enables on-site power generation in a more natural way by realizing a design that harmonizes with buildings and directing the space.
