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NREL, CubicPV Push Perovskite Minimodule Efficiency To 24.0% Photograph: (NREL)
The United States (US) Energy Department, research laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in collaboration with CubicPV, has achieved a certified efficiency of 24.0% in a perovskite minimodule. Researchers from both NREL and CubicPV — a company based in the Boston area — developed the minimodule, which consists of multiple interconnected cells. Several steps in the fabrication process were completed at each location. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office funded the research.
NREL explained that the latest research is expected to surpass the previous record for a perovskite minimodule, published in May 2025, which was 23.9%. The solar cell efficiency tables are published twice a year in the journal Progress in Photovoltaics. The next iteration will appear near year’s end, which gives NREL and CubicPV time to surpass their current record.
Kai Zhu, a senior scientist in NREL's Chemistry and Nanoscience Center, has previously collaborated with CubicPV. Zhu said the complementary expertise of the two organizations is a testament not only to technical excellence but to the accelerated impact of combining complementary strengths.
Key Insights
NREL shared insights of this collaborative research, explaining that, "Unlike silicon, perovskites are created by using a low-temperature (less than 200°C) ink-based printing or vacuum coating process with primarily earth-abundant materials. The technology has proven to be efficient at a small scale, and work to improve durability and efficiency on larger-area devices, which are a prerequisite for commercial adoption, continues. Perovskites hold the promise of diversifying the supply chain and increasing domestic production of solar photovoltaic modules."
“It’s really the strength from both parties that creates the environment for record-setting,” he said. “Both teams can achieve great results — but collaboration amplifies our impact and sets new device benchmarks.” CubicPV’s focus is on tandem solar devices, using perovskites on top of silicon to make a solar panel that captures more photons and continues to lower the cost of energy, while NREL’s focus is on advancing manufacturing, durability, and efficiency of perovskite-enabled tandems. The collaboration amplifies each partner’s strengths.
Adam Lorenz, chief technology officer of CubicPV, said future efforts will focus on demonstrating durable performance outdoors and producing larger area perovskite modules. “We are committed to leveraging US technical leadership and collaborating with the top researchers in the world to drive cutting-edge perovskite science toward scalable, commercially viable, and durable products,” he said.