BIPV

It was reported that Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) have decided to support a demonstration project for perovskite solar cells conducted by Sekisui Chemical and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (HD). 

The total project cost is estimated at about 18.3 billion yen ( just under USD$119,000,000), with approximately 12.5 billion yen (around USD$81 million) to be subsidized through the Green Innovation (GI) Fund project. The project will verify installation methods, construction methods, and mass production technologies that take advantage of the unique characteristics of perovskite solar cells.

Researchers from the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), University of Rome Tor Vergata and Université Crenoble Alpes have designed a Solar Brick (SB) based on textile ceramic technology (TCT) and perovskite photovoltaic cells. The new SB can be used for applications in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). 

Textile Ceramic Technology (TCT) is an innovative construction system that consists of ceramic units installed in a grid of stainless steel wires. TCT has been patented in 2011. Its main application is to cover roofs, grounds, building façades and more. The team says: "One of the advantages of the system is the reduced time construction, since traditional ceramic claddings systems require a manual procedure on site in where the bricks are placed one by one joined by mortar. Moreover, the large length dimension of the shells makes possible to cover ground, façade and roof with the same element".

Semi-transparent solar cells are appealing for many different applications such as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs), tandem solar cells and in wearable electronics. Perovskites could be ideal for semi-transparent applications as they are versatile and easy to optimize.

Semi-transparent perovskite solar cells (ST-PSCs) must try to maximize efficiency and transparency. Methods such as bandgap engineering, thinning perovskite layers, and creating discontinuous structures are being developed to improve their performance. However, challenges still remain with ST-PSC development, such as phase stability and defect management.

Reports suggest that the Japanese government is planning a trial use of perovskite solar cells in solar panels to be installed in Fukushima Prefecture by next March.

Perovskite cells are lighter and more flexible than silicon-based types, making them suitable for use on building walls. The technology is also attracting attention in Japan because the cells are made with iodine compounds, which are domestically available. Sources say perovskite solar panels will be set up at three locations in Fukushima, including the national sports training center. They may also be used along highways.

Eindhoven University of Technology researchers have developed a multiscale computational framework for scaling up perovskite photovoltaics from cell scale to building integration. 

The novel framework includes three key modeling components: (i) cell scale, incorporating a coupled optical-electrical-thermal model to characterize performance and hysteresis of small-area perovskite solar cells, (ii) module scale, designing monolithically interconnected perovskite minimodules and quantifying upscaling losses, and (iii) building scale, assessing complex interactions between environmental factors and building-integrated perovskite photovoltaics.

A collaborative project by leading Helmholtz Centers for photovoltaic research aims to accelerate the deployment of multi-benefit photovoltaics based on emerging printed PV-Technologies like organic photovoltaics and perovskites. 

Core Lab Perovskite PV at KIT. Image from Solar TAP website

The Solar Technology Acceleration Platform (Solar TAP) for emerging Photovoltaics brings together 3 Helmholtz Centers, 9 major research infrastructures, and more than 25 scientists. The three Helmholtz centers are: Forschungszentrum Jülich, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. They are aligning their world-class infrastructures in order to create the joint Technology Acceleration Platform and providing fast and simple access to laboratories, equipment and scientists through collaborative pre-financed projects.

A research team at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has announced a new generation of printable perovskite solar cells that offer higher efficiency and stability, lower cost and scalability, with a minimal carbon footprint. With funding support from the inaugural Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+ Scheme) of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR government, the team aims to establish a pilot production line within 18 months.

The “Scalable Production of Next-Generation High-Performance Printable Solar Cells” project, led by Professor Alex Jen at CityUHK, was awarded RAISe+ funding to commercialize the technology. Professor Jen is a pioneer in developing perovskite solar cells that has achieved, along with his research team at CityUHK, significant milestones in recent years - such as perovskite solar cells that displayed a power conversion efficiency of over 26% in laboratory testing. They also successfully addressed the common stability issues by demonstrating perovskite solar cells with an estimated lifetime of over 20 years through accelerated aging tests, comparable to that of silicon-based cells in the market.

PeroNova, a U.S.-based climate technology company, has announced its entrance into the renewable energy market, unveiling its perovskite technology. 

PeroNova claims to have achieved significant enhancements in the stability and reliability of perovskite films, which are critical factors for commercial viability. The Company plans to launch several pilot programs in the U.S. later this year. Specifically, it mentions a collaboration with real estate developers which will bring large-scale implementation of BIPV and agrivoltaics across the country.

It was reported that China’s UtmoLight showcased its first full perovskite PV module at the recent SNEC PV event in Shanghai, underscoring the technology’s ongoing shift toward commercialization. The Module UL-M12-G1 measures 1,200 mm x 600 mm and is available in four power classes, ranging from 110 W to 130 W.

UtmoLight's President was quoted saying that the first target for the new perovskite modules will be building-integrated PV (BIPV) applications. Unlike crystalline modules, the translucent perovskite panels can be tinted in any color. UtmoLight offers modules strung into a single sheet of glass measuring 2.4 meters by 1.2 meters for building integration.

The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) and Korean semiconductor equipment maker UniTest have announced the joint development of a large-area perovskite solar cell with 20.6% efficiency, which they define as a record-breaking achievement.

They reportedly received the world’s highest efficiency certification from Fraunhofer and will be listed on the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)’s solar cell efficiency chart.