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A new layer of efficiency for solar

Published in: Solar, Exclusive Articles, PES Spotlight

A new layer of efficiency for solar image

Perovskite technology could deliver a step change in solar module efficiency, cutting project costs and build times. By combining perovskite and silicon technology while using existing manufacturing infrastructure, ultra-high-efficiency modules could reach the market faster.

Solar has had an incredible global growth trajectory over the past few decades, expanding more than 1,000-fold. In 2025, solar was the largest source of new power generation capacity in both Europe and the US. The primary driver of this leadership position is cost, as solar is now amongst the least expensive methods to add new power generation to the grid.

While silicon solar cell technology has been important in the advancement of the industry, one could argue that most of the growth has been driven by cost reductions and the expansion of manufacturing using silicon technologies developed decades ago. Consider, for example, that passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) technology was developed in the late 1980s with a record efficiency at the time of 22.8%.

This is not too far off the efficiencies we see today, nearly 40 years later. When looking at the actual technological improvements, the gains have been incremental over multiple decades, whereas cost reductions have been more dramatic in the past decade.

Over the past 40 years, solar module efficiencies have improved by roughly 10 percentage points from about 15% in 1985 to 25% in 2025 for best-in-class silicon-based technology.

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