Japan’s Sekisui Solar Film and the Netherlands' TNO have signed a letter of intent to explore collaborations related to flexible perovskite solar PV. Talks will be initiated on a potential perovskite module factory in Brabant and the exchange of relevant information.
Japan’s Sekisui Solar Film, part of Sekisui Chemical, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), which serves the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant, and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) have signed a letter of intent in Osaka, Japan to explore collaboration related to flexible perovskite solar PV module technologies.
“With the signing of the letter of intent, the involved parties indicate their shared ambition to initiate talks about a potential perovskite module factory in Brabant and to exchange relevant information on the subject,” said BOM in a statement.
The three parties envision lightweight, flexible perovskite solar PV being integrated into facades and roofs with limited load-bearing capacity, areas where traditional modules are not viable.
TNO CEO Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi added, “This letter of intent is an important step toward greater synergy between the Dutch and Japanese programs in the field of flexible solar energy technologies. It also allows TNO to strengthen the regional industry by partnering with Sekisui to realize roll-to-roll production of perovskite solar cells in the Netherlands.”
As pv magazine has reported, Sekisui Solar Film is developing technology for lightweight, flexible perovskite solar module manufacturing using an advanced roll-to-roll process. It is working on a 100 MW plant in Japan for large-scale production, is undertaking field demonstrations, and signed a perovskite solar-related memorandum of understanding with Slovakia.
The BOM said in the press release that it sees the collaboration as enhancing the region’s emerging perovskite supply chain, such as the Innovation Coalition Solar (IC Solar), a network of companies on working aspects of perovskite PV, including cell functionality, material costs, production machinery, and demonstrations. It also mentioned the Netherlands-based SolarNL program for the local solar module industry.
In recent months, pv magazine has reported perovskite solar cell product launches by Dutch companies, such as Kalpana and Sald, both developing atomic layer deposition technologies, and thin film solar manufacturer HyetSolar.