Japan will force the adoption of perovskite solar panels. It is the biggest blow against Chinese industry in decades

Japan has just created a consortium of 150 public and private entities to accelerate the introduction of flexible perovskite solar panels, a Japanese technology that aims to defeat the Chinese photovoltaic industry with more efficient, versatile and durable modules.

All in one. Japan long ago lost its lead in silicon production to China, but the country is taking steps to not repeat the same mistakes in the perovskite business.

In addition to an investment of more than 400 million dollars from the Japanese government for the production of photovoltaic cells based on the new technology, Japan has just created a consortium of 150 public and private companies and organizations to accelerate the introduction of next-generation flexible solar panels .

First steps. The consortium will set a perovskite cell capacity target for 2040 this summer, according to Nikkei. Current projections place it at 38.8 gigawatts, with prospects of exceeding the capacity of conventional solar panels (70 GW) in the following decade, reaching a capacity of 84.2 GW in 2050.

Whether or not it resembles these projections, the target will be reflected in the government’s strategic renewable energy plan, which will have to be updated, since the 2021 version does not include capacity targets for perovskite solar panels.

Companies and governments. The consortium is led by Toshiba and Sekisui Chemical, which are already developing cells of the new material and plan to commercialize them as early as next year.

Other prominent members of the consortium include Panasonic, car components supplier Aisin, chemicals maker Kaneka and Japan Railways Group.

Among the public entities that have joined the consortium are the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and a hundred local governments, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

What are Perosvkists? Invented by Japanese scientist Tsutomu Miyasaka, these photovoltaic cells have a crystal structure similar to that of the rare mineral of the same name. They are more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity and can be cheaper to produce. Furthermore, they degrade less and less.

They are also thinner and more flexible than silicon cells, which opens up a range of new possibilities for their installation. They can go on balconies, canopies, vehicles and other places where installing rigid solar panels is impossible or impractical.

The bet against China. In the midst of the energy transition, the Chinese solar industry dominates more than 80% of the supply chain, and an even larger portion of polysilicon production. This has driven down the prices of solar panels, while creating a near-total dependence on Chinese technology.

Once perovskite cells have advanced to surpass the efficiency of conventional silicon cells, Japan has clearly seen the opportunity and is upping its ante.

Today there are two types of perovskite solar panels: film and glass. Japan’s commitment is to flexible film, but there is still a lot of material research to be done to achieve the efficiency of conventional panels without using toxic metals that the industry has been carrying for years, such as lead.

Image | Sekisiu Chemical

In Xataka | China has had a monopoly on solar panels. Japan has the technology to take it down: perovskites