Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) offer multiple pathways for long-term cost reductions, driven by materials, manufacturing innovations, and recycling efficiency:
Materials and Fabrication Costs
- Lower precursor costs: Perovskite inks cost ~$250/m² (2022), but economies of scale and optimized formulations could reduce this.
- Solution processing: Roll-to-roll printing avoids expensive vacuum systems, enabling production costs as low as $40/m² for small batches.
- Local manufacturing: Smaller-scale production in low-income countries could reduce costs by 20–40% compared to imported silicon panels, especially with perovskite’s compatibility with low-tech processing.
Efficiency and Stability Improvements
- Higher efficiency: Current PSCs reach ~25% efficiency in labs, with tandem designs exceeding silicon. Commercial modules need to stabilize at ≥25% to reduce $/W.
- Extended lifespan: Overcoming UV and moisture degradation (historically hours/minutes vs. silicon’s 30 years) through encapsulation and stable transport layers could enable 25-year lifespans, lowering levelized costs.
Recycling and Circular Economy
- Closed-loop recycling: Recent methods recover >99% of materials (glass, perovskite, transport layers) using water-based solvents, reducing resource use and long-term costs.
- Lifetime assessments: Recyclable designs could offset replacement expenses, with stable performance even after 5 reuse cycles.
Market and Deployment Factors
- Niche markets: Early adoption in mobile electronics or building-integrated PV (BIPV) could drive economies of scale before grid-scale use.
- Manufacturing optimization: Reducing material waste, equipment costs, and energy use (e.g., vacuum process elimination) could cut module costs to $0.24/W (short-term) and below silicon’s ~$0.20/W (long-term).
Cost Projections
| Factor | Current (2025) | Long-Term Target |
|---|---|---|
| Module cost | $0.57/W | <$0.20/W (with 25% efficiency, 25-year lifespan) |
| LCOE | 18–22¢/kWh | ≤3¢/kWh (matching silicon) |
| Recyclability | Lab-scale | Commercial-scale closed-loop systems |
Achieving these targets hinges on improving stability, scaling recycling infrastructure, and refining deposition techniques to minimize defects.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-the-potential-long-term-cost-reductions-for-perovskite-solar-cells/
