It’s not that renewable energy is currently in fashion, but rather that large countries are realizing that time is running out. Now, Japan has announced that it will invest more than $1.5 billion to accelerate the development and production of perovskite solar panels (we’ll explain what this is about now), with which it aims to change the global energy landscape. With this initiative, the country could challenge China in the global clean energy market, as it is currently the leader in the manufacture of silicon solar panels. Is a new hegemony on the horizon in the energy landscape?

What does Japan intend?

Japan’s goal is very clear: to generate the equivalent of 20 nuclear reactors with perovskites and have them up and running by 2040, ensuring that between 22% and 29% of its electricity comes from solar energy.

What is perovskite?

Okay, it’s a crystalline material, still almost unknown to the industry. This material stands out, above all, for being crystalline and because it can absorb large amounts of sunlight more efficiently than silicon (the traditional material used so far in solar panels).

This is a super material that stands out for its energy efficiency (it can exceed 40% efficiency, compared to silicon panels that barely reach 22%). It’s a flexible and lightweight material, which could be used to manufacture ultra-thin panels to be placed on walls, roofs, vehicles, and facades, thus getting the most out of it.

In terms of production costs, perovskite is also far ahead of silicon because, although it is somewhat more expensive to manufacture, mass production will reduce costs.

Where does this technology come from?

It’s no surprise to anyone that East Asia is looking for alternatives to fossil fuel combustion and that, in one way or another, they are late in achieving them. So, virtually all countries that rely on fossil fuels and combustion need to find alternatives (and, if possible, clean ones) before it’s too late. This is where perovskite technology comes in, developed by Tsutomu Miyasaka, a Japanese scientist while working for Fujifilm.

The Japanese plan.

Japan wants to generate the same amount of energy as 20 nuclear reactors… and before 2040! This is part of their commitment to ensure that up to 29% of the country’s electricity generation comes from clean energy (as currently only 10% comes from this type of energy). To this end, they will expand this material with subsidies of up to $1 billion to companies like Sekisui Chemical (a leader in the manufacture of these panels), in addition to the $500 million they had already invested in research and development of this material and these infrastructures.

Japan also has a strategic advantage: it is one of the main producers of iodine, a key component in the manufacture of perovskite solar cells. So everything seems to be going smoothly for them.

What do they face?

There are several technical and economic challenges for perovskite to become popular. The first is that it is a material that is very vulnerable to moisture, so it could have a shorter lifespan. Sekisui Chemical confirms that it has developed a prototype resin that protects solar cells (and will make their lifespan much longer).

Another challenge facing this project is that manufacturing these types of solar panels is three or four times more expensive than conventional ones. However, mass-producing them, and since they will collect practically twice as much solar energy, will make it very easy to cover the initial costs.

What about China?

China won’t be far behind, of course, because it is also developing perovskite panels, but they are taking a very different approach: instead of ultra-thin, flexible panels, the Chinese are promoting hybrid cells (perovskite-silicon tandem) that offer high efficiency and stability.

What’s clear is that Japan wants to “take on” China (which controls 85% of global photovoltaic cell production and nearly 80% of polysilicon production) and break its dependence on its energy. Is this the opportunity to jump into the energy sector and position itself as a leader in renewable energy? Hmm.