Japan Panasonic Tests Glass-Based Perovskite Solar Panels On Office Windows

The Japanese electronics manufacturer is testing its glass-based perovskite solar photovoltaic technology in office windows produced by YKK AP (a building materials company).

Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic Holdings and building materials company YKK AP are testing windows made using Panasonic's glass-based perovskite photovoltaic (PV) solar panels.

A spokesperson told PV Magazine that the focus of the testing is to "examine the installation method of the inner windows and confirm their operability." In the study, Panasonic's glass-type perovskite solar photovoltaic panels were used in four YKK inner windows with waterproof wooden sliding frames, measuring 723 mm × 1080 mm. The project does not include verification of power generation performance.

The transparency and patterns of the thin-film perovskite materials can be customized in four prototypes, one of which features decorative patterns, while the other prototypes have surface treatments that range from translucent to nearly transparent.

Panasonic stated that the transparency of photovoltaic products is precisely controlled by the degree of processing, and the power generation performance will correspondingly change. Panasonic's statement mentioned, "This enables flexible choices to be made based on building applications and installation environments."

Panasonic Corporation has been developing perovskite solar technology for over a decade. Recently, it has advanced the application of inkjet printing in large-area devices. As of 2023, its 802 square centimeter glass-based perovskite device has a certified power conversion efficiency of 18.1%, an improvement over the 17.9% efficiency of devices of the same size in 2023, as reported by PV Magazine.