TNO Unveils 12.4% Efficient Perovskite Solar Tile
⚡ Quick Read
- What happened: The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) unveiled a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) perovskite solar tile achieving 12.4% efficiency.
- Why it matters: This breakthrough in flexible, roll-to-roll manufactured solar cells offers a potential pathway to lower production costs for high-volume BIPV applications.
- Watch: Commercialization efforts by TNO spinoff, Perovion Technologies, and the scaling of roll-to-roll manufacturing processes.
Background and Context
The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) has officially unveiled a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) tile based on advanced perovskite solar cell technology. This innovation represents a significant milestone in the development of flexible solar solutions, marking what is billed as the world’s first perovskite solar tile. The project was supported by the Province of North Brabant through the ‘Solliance 2.0’ initiative, with additional funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme and the National Growth Fund programme, SolarNL.
Key Details
The development involved a partnership with Netherlands-based BIPV specialist Asat BV. The team successfully deployed 10 cm x 10 cm perovskite solar modules—built on flexible foil—onto a curved composite roof tile. Testing confirmed that the bending of these modules to fit the curved surface resulted in minimal performance degradation. While standalone modules reached energy conversion efficiencies of up to 13.8%, the integrated modules maintained an efficiency of 12.4% after installation on the curved surface.
A critical component of this achievement is the use of an experimental roll-to-roll manufacturing platform developed by TNO. Similar to industrial newspaper printing, this technique allows for the continuous production of solar cells on long rolls of flexible material. This process is widely regarded as a viable pathway to reducing production costs and enabling high-volume manufacturing for thin-film technologies like perovskites. The technology is set to be commercialized by Perovion Technologies, a TNO spinoff launched just last month.
What This Means for EPCs and Developers
For EPC contractors and solar developers in India, the emergence of high-efficiency, flexible perovskite solar tiles signals a shift in BIPV potential. As the Indian market looks toward integrating renewable energy into urban infrastructure, the ability to deploy solar on curved or non-traditional surfaces without significant efficiency loss is a game-changer. The roll-to-roll manufacturing process, if scaled, could eventually provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional rigid silicon panels for specific architectural applications.
What Happens Next
TNO continues to advance its research in spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD) and roll-to-roll processes. With global players like Sekisui Solar Film also exploring flexible perovskite modules and planning 100 MW production plants, the technology is moving rapidly from the lab to the field. As the India renewable energy sector continues to expand its capacity, tracking the commercial viability of these thin-film innovations will be essential for developers looking to diversify their portfolios beyond utility-scale ground-mounted projects.
