Perovskite printed solar panels with record efficiency

Developed by an international group of scientists, they can be produced on a large scale and cut costs.

By: Riccardo Ciriaco

Mar 23, 2024 at 7:10am ET

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Imagine a future where solar panels are printed like newspapers and scattered everywhere (or almost everywhere): buildings, vehicles (categorically electric) and even clothing. It sounds like science fiction, yet it will be possible thanks to the work of an international scientific team.

Led by the Commonwealth Research Organisation (Csiro), the team is developing a system for the large-scale production of highly unusual photovoltaic cells, printed using the roll-to-roll (R2R) method and, above all, with record efficiency.

More efficient and less expensive

The secret lies in the recipe's main ingredient: perovskite, a light, flexible mineral that allows solar panels to be applied anywhere. But the real trump card, as we said, is the ability of the cells to convert solar energy into electricity.

The roll-to-roll system used to print perovskite solar panels with record efficiency

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This is 11%, a figure that may seem low, but is in fact much higher than the average for similar panels, which is around 1-2%. This record efficiency overcomes the age-old problems associated with continuous large-scale production and, as a result, reduces costs, making this solution more attractive from a commercial point of view.

Finding partners

The scientists themselves used automated manufacturing and control systems capable of manufacturing and testing more than 10,000 panels a day, which enabled them to quickly identify the ideal settings for different parameters, thereby improving efficiency. The team is now looking for industrial partners to carry out its work.