New energy source based on perovskite cells

Skanska is the first developer in the world that will cover office buildings with semi-transparent photovoltaic cells from perovskite. Office buildings can soon be self-sufficient in terms of energy. The technology will be provided by Saule Technologies. The first pilot implementations will take place in 2018 in Poland.

At an international conference dedicated to the perovskite solar cells and optoelectronics, which took place on 18-20 September this year at Oxford, a prototype of perovskite photovoltaic modules that could be a revolution in the industry was presented.

While perovskite photovoltaic cell technology is being watched by giants like NASA, Skanska will launch a pilot program to cover building facades and acoustic screens this year. Thus, it will be the first company that will apply it in commercial buildings and construction projects in all markets where it operates: in Scandinavia, Europe and the USA. It is a revolutionary step towards energy neutrality associated with the emission of carbon dioxide through the building. Thanks to the license agreement signed by the companies, Skanska has exclusive rights to use the Saule Technologies perovskite technology in commercial construction.

Perovskites are crystalline materials that have a great chance to declasse silicon, the most widely used semiconductor in photovoltaic cells so far. Since 2014, Saule Technologies has been working on the use of inkjet printing for the production of perovskite photovoltaic modules of any shape. This technique allows you to adapt solar cells to different surfaces. This is a great opportunity for the construction industry.

– Perovskite solar cells offer new opportunities for architects and construction companies wishing to use solar energy. Our modules are lighter, thinner and much more flexible in the design dimension than the most popular silicon cells. We can adjust the shape, color and size of modules for customer needs and install them on every available building surface, not necessarily on the roof – explains Olga Malinkiewicz, co-founder and CTO at Saule Technologies.

Another advantage of using perovskites is that you can transport them rolled up, because they are less fragile than their silicon counterparts. Until now, the biggest obstacle to developing perovskite panels was the lack of resistance to water, which caused their dissolution. Currently, the problem has already been averted, which can be easily considered a milestone in the expansion of this technology