South Korea moves to lead commercialization of perovskite solar cells spotlighted by Elon Musk

South Korea is moving to commercialize perovskite solar cells — a next-generation technology that Elon Musk has identified as central to space-based solar power.

The Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology signed a technology transfer agreement with LK Chem on Monday for the "material composition and manufacturing of high-efficiency silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells."

The transfer is expected to demonstrate the competitiveness of domestically developed technology in the next-generation solar cell material market, which China has dominated, and to establish a key domestic hub in the tandem solar cell supply chain.

Perovskite solar cells are a next-generation technology that can be mass-produced relatively easily and cheaply by coating a solution onto a substrate. They absorb light efficiently even in very thin films and can be manufactured at low temperatures using solution-based processes, rather than the complex high-temperature, vacuum-dependent methods required for conventional silicon cells. In practical terms, they can be made thinner and lighter than silicon, with strong potential for flexible or semi-transparent forms.

Those characteristics are expected to open up applications well beyond rooftop solar — including building facades, windows, car roofs, indoor sensors, wearable devices and aerospace power systems.

The tandem, or stacked, structure is currently the most closely watched approach in solar cell technology. Conventional silicon solar cells convert only a portion of the solar spectrum into electricity, imposing a physical ceiling on efficiency for any single material. Tandem solar cells overcome that limit by stacking two different materials so that light passing through the first layer is absorbed again by the second.

The transferred technology covers material synthesis and stability improvements for a tandem structure in which a perovskite thin film is layered on top of a silicon solar cell. Perovskite solar cells form crystals relatively easily at low temperatures and allow the light-absorbing wavelength range to be freely tuned, but their long-term stability under light, moisture and heat has been a persistent obstacle to commercialization.

A research team led by Jeon Nam-jung at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology took a fresh approach starting at the synthesis stage. Using eco-friendly solvents and a range of perovskite precursor compositions, the team developed a synthesis method that produces uniform perovskite crystals. As a result, they secured a highly stable composition whose crystal structure resists degradation even under prolonged exposure to light, moisture and heat.

The composition is optimized for the bandgap required in a tandem structure paired with silicon solar cells, while also suppressing "phase separation" — a phenomenon in which components segregate under extended light exposure. This gives the material the photo-stability needed to maintain performance under real-world sunlight over time.

LK Chem specializes in developing and producing the core materials that determine the performance of finished solar cell products.

Building on the technology transfer, the company plans to establish a full-scale mass production system for key materials used in silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells. It also plans to accelerate commercialization through partnerships with domestic and overseas solar module manufacturers.

"It is deeply meaningful that the perovskite solar cell technology developed at our institute will now reach actual industrial applications through this transfer," said Shin Seok-min, president of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology. "We will continue working to support the growth of industry and strengthen the nation's industrial competitiveness."