Solar Energy
New perovskite fabrication method for solar cells paves way to large-scale production
A new, simpler solution process for fabricating stable perovskite solar cells overcomes the key bottleneck to large-scale production and commercialization of this promising renewable-energy technology, which has remained tantalizingly out of reach for more than a decade.
“”Our work paves the way for low-cost, high-throughput commercial-scale production of large-scale solar modules in the near future,” said Wanyi Nie, a research scientist fellow in the Center of Integrated Nanotechnologies at Los Alamos National Laboratory and corresponding author of the paper, which was published in the journal Joule.
“We were able to demonstrate the approach through two mini-modules that reached champion levels of converting sunlight to power with greatly extended operational lifetimes. Since this process is facile and low cost, we believe it can be easily adapted to scalable fabrication in industrial settings.”
The team invented a one-step spin coating method using sulfolane, a liquid solvent. The new process allowed the team, a collaboration among Los Alamos and researchers from National Taiwan University (NTU), to produce high-yield, large-area photovoltaic devices that are highly efficient in creating power from sunlight. These perovskite solar cells also have a long operational lifetime.
“We are excited about this achievement,” said Prof. Leeyih Wang, the principal investigator of the NTU group and one of the corresponding authors, “this is a new synthetic route that is widely applicable in the rich perovskite material family.” Hsin-Hsiang Huang, a graduate student at NTU and the first author of this paper, said, “We have implemented new chemistry to push it towards a technologically relevant demonstration.”
Perovskite photovoltaics, seen as a viable competitor to the familiar silicon-based photovoltaics on the market for decades, have been a highly anticipated emerging technology over the last decade. Commercialization has been stymied by the lack of a solution to the field’s grand challenge: scaling up production of high-efficiency perovskite solar cell modules from the bench-top to the factory floor.
The research paper shows a new route to fabrication by introducing sulfolane as an additive in the perovskite precursor, or the liquid material that creates the perovskite crystal through a chemical reaction. As in other fabrication methods, that crystal is then deposited on a substrate.
Through a simple dipping method, the team was able to deposit a uniform, high-quality perovskite crystalline thin film covering a large active area in two mini-modules, one of about 16 square centimeters and the other nearly 37 square centimeters. Fabricating uniform thin film across the entire photovoltaic module’s area is essential to device performance.
The mini modules achieved a power conversion efficiency of 17.58% and 16.06%, respectively. Those efficiencies are among the top achievable efficiencies reported to date. The power conversion efficiency is a measure of how effectively sunlight is converted into electricity.
For other perovskite fabrication methods, one of the major roadblocks to industrial-scale fabrication is their narrow processing window, the time during which the film can be laid down on the substrate. To get a uniform crystalline film that’s well bonded to the layer below it, the deposition process has to be strictly controlled within a matter of seconds.
Using sulfolane in the perovskite precursor extends the processing window from 9 seconds to 90 seconds, forming highly crystalline, compact layers over a large area while being less dependent on the processing conditions.
The sulfolane method can be easily adapted to existing industrial fabrication techniques, which helps to pave the path toward commercialization.
A perovskite is any material with a particular crystal structure similar to the mineral perovskite. Perovskites can be engineered and fabricated in extremely thin films, which makes them useful for solar photovoltaic cells.
800-mn-euro battery factory to be built in Finland
by AFP Staff Writers
Helsinki (AFP) Mar 20, 2025
A Chinese-Finnish company announced Thursday it would begin building a battery materials plant in Finland in April, the first of its kind in the Nordic country.
The plant will produce cathode active material, a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and for energy storage, said Easpring Finland New Materials, a company co-owned by Finnish Minerals Group and Beijing Easpring Material Technology.
It said the investment was worth 800 million euros ($868 million).
The announcement came one week after a bankruptcy filing by Swedish battery maker Northvolt, which had planned to develop cathode production but dropped those plans to focus on battery cell production as it fought for survival.
Easpring Finland New Materials said commercial production was expected to begin in 2027.
The plant, to be located in Kotka in southeast Finland, will initially produce 60,000 tonnes of cathode active material annually.
At full production capacity, it could supply cathode material for the production of around 750,000 electric vehicles annually, the company said.
Matti Hietanen, the chief executive of Finnish Minerals Group, said the investment created an “entirely new kind of industry in Finland related to the production of lithium-ion batteries” and represented a European “spearhead project for the industry.”
The new plant will employ 270 people and an area of around 80 hectares had been reserved for its construction.
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Nanocellulose infused with red onion extract shields solar cells from UV degradation
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Mar 20, 2025
Researchers at the University of Turku in Finland have developed a bio-based film that provides high-performance UV protection for solar cells, utilizing nanocellulose treated with red onion skin extract. This marks the first comparative study of how various bio-derived UV filters perform over time.
Solar cells, susceptible to damage from ultraviolet radiation, are typically shielded by petroleum-derived films such as polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In an effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, researchers are exploring sustainable alternatives like nanocellulose, a material made by refining cellulose into nanoscale fibers that can be customized for UV blocking capabilities.
The study, conducted in collaboration with Aalto University in Finland and Wageningen University in the Netherlands, revealed that nanocellulose films dyed with red onion extract blocked 99.9% of UV rays up to 400 nanometres. This performance surpassed that of commercial PET-based filters, which served as a benchmark in the research.
“Nanocellulose films treated with red onion dye are a promising option in applications where the protective material should be bio-based,” stated Doctoral Researcher Rustem Nizamov from the University of Turku.
Researchers evaluated four types of nanocellulose films enhanced with red onion extract, lignin, or iron ions, all known for their UV-filtering properties. Among them, the film incorporating red onion extract demonstrated the most effective UV shielding.
Effective UV protection must be balanced with the ability to transmit visible and near-infrared light, essential for solar energy conversion. While materials like lignin excel in UV absorption, their dark hue hinders transparency. In contrast, the red onion-based film achieved over 80% light transmission at wavelengths between 650 and 1,100 nanometres, maintaining this level over extended testing.
To simulate prolonged outdoor use, the films were exposed to artificial light for 1,000 hours, equating to roughly one year of natural sunlight in central Europe. Researchers tracked changes in the films and solar cells through digital imaging.
“The study emphasised the importance of long-term testing for UV filters, as the UV protection and light transmittance of the other bio-based filters changed significantly over time. For example, the films treated with iron ions had good initial transmittance which reduced after aging,” tells Nizamov.
Tests focused on dye-sensitised solar cells, which are particularly prone to UV-induced deterioration. The findings also have broader implications for other solar technologies like perovskite and organic photovoltaics, where bio-based UV filters could play a crucial role.
“These results are also relevant for the UV protection of other types of solar cells, including perovskite and organic photovoltaics, as well as any application where the use of a bio-based UV filter is paramount,” Nizamov says.
Looking ahead, the researchers aim to create biodegradable solar cells that could serve as power sources in applications such as food packaging sensors.
“The forest industry is interested in developing new high-grade products. In the field of electronics, these may also be components for solar cells,” noted Kati Miettunen, Professor in Materials Engineering.
The University of Turku’s Solar Energy Materials and Systems (SEMS) group is exploring ways to integrate solar technologies into broader energy systems.
This work was part of the BioEST project, supported by the Research Council of Finland.
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Space Solar teams with MagDrive to boost in-orbit solar power systems
by Sophie Jenkins
London, UK (SPX) Mar 20, 2025
Space Solar, a leading force in the field of space-based solar power (SBSP), has formed a strategic alliance with UK propulsion technology company Magdrive to enhance the deployment of large-scale infrastructure in orbit. The agreement, unveiled during the Farnborough International Space Show (FISS), is formalized under the Space Propulsion and Infrastructure Innovation Initiative (SPI3), reflecting a concerted push to realize space-driven clean energy.
SPI3 is designed to help fulfil the UK’s long-term goal of producing scalable, sustainable energy directly from space. By integrating Magdrive’s advanced propulsion systems, the initiative addresses the complex challenge of transporting, assembling, and managing substantial SBSP infrastructure in orbit.
Space Solar plans to launch its first 30-megawatt SBSP platform within five years, and success hinges on the ability to control and maintain massive solar satellite structures. Magdrive’s propulsion solutions are poised to support upcoming demonstration missions by enabling essential orbital maneuvers, satellite assembly, and shape optimization.
“Innovation in propulsion is essential to making large-scale space infrastructure a reality,” said Sam Adlen, Co-CEO of Space Solar. “Space Solar and Magdrive share a vision of advancing sustainable space operations that benefit earth, and this collaboration will pave the way for new propulsion solutions that will be indispensable for space-based solar power and other large scale space infrastructure.”
This partnership is also set to strengthen the UK’s space sector by stimulating high-value job creation and technological advancement. It highlights the country’s dedication to leading innovation at the intersection of clean energy and aerospace.
As part of SPI3, both companies will collaborate on refining propulsion specifications tailored to SBSP systems and identify additional applications for these technologies within the broader context of UK-led space initiatives. The cooperation is a key step towards expanding the UK’s footprint in the global space economy and unlocking emerging opportunities in space-based energy markets.
“We’re excited to work with Space Solar, they’re building the future of space energy and infrastructure on a scale never seen before. By working together we’ll be propelling the space industry towards enabling sustainable life on earth. Here’s to the new space age!” said Mark Stokes, CEO, MagDrive.
United by a vision to deliver scalable energy solutions from space, Space Solar and Magdrive’s agreement represents a pivotal move toward the commercialization of SBSP. As Space Solar progresses toward critical mission milestones, incorporating Magdrive’s propulsion technology will bring the reality of space-derived clean energy closer than ever.
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