Perovskite solar cells in 2026: overview
Perovskite solar cells use perovskite-structured materials to convert sunlight into electricity. Their strong light absorption and potential for low-temperature processing make them attractive for thin, lightweight devices and for tandem cells that combine perovskites with silicon. The field is now working to translate promising device performance into reliable modules, with operational stability, defect control and consistent large-area films remaining central engineering challenges.
Recent work is addressing those bottlenecks at both material and system levels. September 2026 publications examined molecular dipole engineering for interface passivation and volatility-controlled crystallization for perovskite–silicon tandems; in March 2026, news reported a 29.76% efficiency result for an all-perovskite tandem. Also in September 2026, ARIA funding for 18 teams included Structural Solar’s perovskite-CFRP work for stratospheric aircraft. Together, these directions point to tandems and specialized lightweight uses, alongside continued efforts to improve module uniformity and durability.
- 1Interfaces remain decisive: Molecular passivation and contact design target recombination and degradation at interfaces, problems that can undermine both efficiency and operational life.
- 2Tandems draw momentum: Perovskite–silicon and all-perovskite stacks extend the technology beyond single-junction devices, while wide-bandgap stability and subcell integration remain technical hurdles.
- 3Scaling is the test: Progress in crystallization control and deposition methods must translate into uniform, durable modules under practical manufacturing conditions.
Top organizations working on perovskite solar cells
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to perovskite solar cells. Showing 7 of 3,000 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS
Research · China |
Tandem devices | PUB 650 · NEWS 12 | +32% | Recently, researchers associated with CAS reported additive-guided crystallization to reduce defects and residual strain in formamidinium–cesium perovskite photovoltaics. Its work also includes perovskite/silicon tandem cells. |
| 2 | 
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Research · China |
Interface engineering | PUB 356 · NEWS 1 | -13% | Recently, researchers associated with UCAS reported molecular synergy at buried interfaces to improve efficiency and operational stability in flexible perovskite photovoltaics. Their work also addresses tandem devices and printed-cell ink design. |
| 3 | 
Soochow University
Research · Taiwan |
Interface engineering | PUB 227 · NEWS 25 | -9% | Recently, researchers associated with Soochow University reported aromatic-cage surface passivation and a molecular lubricant strategy to address interface defects and self-assembled monolayer aggregation in perovskite cells. |
| 4 | 
City University of Hong Kong
Research · China |
Tandem devices | PAT 5 · PUB 199 NEWS 19 |
-4% | Recently, researchers associated with City University of Hong Kong studied aromatic heterocycle ligands for balancing defect passivation and heterostructure formation. Their work also targets tin–lead absorbers for all-perovskite tandems. |
| 5 | 
Northwestern Polytechnical University
Research · China |
Scalable manufacturing | PUB 181 · NEWS 4 | +3% | Recently, researchers associated with Northwestern Polytechnical University reported perovskite module fabrication strategies aimed at uniform crystallization over large areas and efficient processing in humid air. |
| 6 | 
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Research · China |
Interface engineering | PUB 201 · NEWS 13 | +8% | Recently, researchers associated with Huazhong University of Science and Technology used dual potassium salts to improve mixed-halide perovskite quality. Their work also addresses voids at buried interfaces. |
| 7 | 
Nankai University
Research · China |
Tandem devices | PUB 140 · NEWS 40 | +28% | Recently, researchers associated with Nankai University reported pH-modulated NiOx contacts for all-perovskite tandem cells and self-assembled molecules for wide-bandgap devices. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Startups to watch and leading research centers
Startups to watch 28 total
Saule TechnologiesPolandSaule Technologies develops perovskite solar-cell materials and modules for commercialization. Its focus on module development aligns with scalable manufacturing.
Tandem PV IncUnited StatesRecently, Tandem PV acquired nexTC to bring metal-oxide coating-process development in-house and received a $7.7 million Department of Energy grant to accelerate commercial scale-up.
Swift Solar Inc.United StatesSwift Solar develops lightweight, flexible solar panels and works on perovskite photovoltaics. Its focus includes tandem solar-cell architectures.- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
Leading research institutions 2,561 total
- Chinese Academy of Sciences CASChinaRecently, researchers associated with CAS reported additive-guided crystallization to reduce defects and residual strain in formamidinium–cesium perovskite photovoltaics. Its work also includes perovskite/silicon tandem cells.
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinaRecently, researchers associated with UCAS reported molecular synergy at buried interfaces to improve efficiency and operational stability in flexible perovskite photovoltaics. Their work also addresses tandem devices and printed-cell ink design.
- Soochow UniversityTaiwanRecently, researchers associated with Soochow University reported aromatic-cage surface passivation and a molecular lubricant strategy to address interface defects and self-assembled monolayer aggregation in perovskite cells.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where perovskite solar cells innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 3,000 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-junction architectures | A single perovskite absorber converts sunlight in one junction; simpler device stacks avoid tandem integration costs but remain constrained by single-junction limits. | 1,407 |
Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology |
| Tandem devices | Tandems combine absorbers with different bandgaps to use more of the solar spectrum, but add interface, current-matching and stability challenges. | 1,419 |
Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS, Tandem Inc., Wuhan University |
| Lead-free absorbers | Lead-free compositions seek to reduce toxicity concerns, but often trade established performance and stability for safer absorber chemistry. | 2,375 |
King Khalid University, Begum Rokeya University, Chitkara University |
| Interface engineering | Interface treatments tune charge transfer and suppress defects, though added layers or molecules can introduce new stability and process-control issues. | 3,704 |
Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Soochow University |
| Scalable manufacturing | Coating and deposition methods aim to produce uniform large-area films, but maintaining defect control and yield beyond small cells remains difficult. | 765 |
Tandem Inc., PCE Inc., Wuhan University of Technology |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Funding data records 356 grants totaling $367,207,190 since 2020. A separate set of 10 funding rounds totals $6,141,051,722, but includes broad institutional and corporate transactions that should not be treated as clean perovskite-specific financing.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Sep 2026The Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) is funding 18 teams to develop aircraft capable of operating persistently in the stratosphere including the Structural Solar project integrating perovskite photovoltaics…CompositesWorld: News
- Sep 2026Scientists in Japan have developed a new approach that they claim can improve the durability of tin-based perovskite solar cells. Researchers at the Sophia University in Tokyo and the and the National Institute for…PV Tech
- Jul 2026Dublin, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Perovskite Solar Cells Market Size, Industry Dynamics, Opportunity Analysis and Forecast 2026-2035" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global…GlobeNewswire - Research Analysis And Reports
- Jul 2026Preventing the detachment of self-assembled molecules (SAMs) and enhancing their passivation effect on perovskites are critical challenges for improving the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs)1–3.…Nature - Issue - nature.com science feeds
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about perovskite solar cells
What companies are working on perovskite solar cells?
Companies named in the data include Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd, Hanwha Solutions, Panasonic, Toyota Motor Corporation and TRINA SOLAR LTD. The patent-holder data lists 151 patents for Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd, 36 for Hanwha Solutions, 23 for Toyota Motor Corporation, 20 for Panasonic and 17 for TRINA SOLAR LTD. These figures identify patent activity, not a ranking of commercial module suppliers.
Which perovskite solar cells startups are the most promising in 2026?
The named startups are Tandem PV Inc, Swift Solar Inc. and Saule Technologies. Tandem PV Inc focuses on scale-up and coating processes; Swift Solar Inc. works on lightweight, flexible panels and tandem architectures; Saule Technologies develops perovskite materials and modules. The available information describes their activities but does not establish which is most promising or compare their commercial readiness.
Which universities and research centers lead perovskite solar cells research?
The Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Soochow University are among the leading research organizations in the data, with 662, 357 and 252 recent-window documents, respectively. Their work includes tandem cells, buried-interface engineering and surface passivation. These document counts indicate activity in the defined window, not a direct measure of research quality or commercial impact.
How much funding has perovskite solar cells received?
Funding data records 356 grants totaling $367,207,190 since 2020. It also lists 10 rounds totaling $6,141,051,722. Those round entries include broad institutional and corporate transactions, so the aggregate should not be read as a verified total of perovskite-specific investment. The grant figure is the clearer indicator of recorded grant funding in the available data.
Who holds the most perovskite solar cells patents?
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd leads the listed patent holders with 151 patents. The next listed holders include Contemporary Amperex Future Energy Research Institute (Shanghai) Limited with 46 and Hanwha Solutions with 36. The figures describe patent-holder counts in the available data; they do not show patent quality, geographic coverage or freedom to operate.
Is perovskite solar cells patent activity growing?
Patent activity declined 14.9% in the last 12 months compared with the previous 12 months. The data also records 835 patents in the defined 24-month window. These indicators describe recent activity, not the longer-term commercial outlook; patenting can shift as organizations move between research, manufacturing development and product deployment.
How mature is perovskite solar cells?
Perovskite solar cells are progressing from laboratory devices toward larger modules, but manufacturing consistency and long-term stability remain open challenges. Recent work addresses upscaling defects, interface degradation and crystallization control. Tandem devices also require reliable integration of layers with different bandgaps. The evidence points to an active development field rather than a technology with manufacturing challenges fully resolved.
What are the latest developments in perovskite solar cells?
Recent directions include molecular dipole passivation and volatility-controlled crystallization, both reported in September 2026 publications. In March 2026, news reported a 29.76% efficiency result for an all-perovskite tandem. September 2026 news also described ARIA funding for 18 teams, including Structural Solar’s perovskite-CFRP work for stratospheric aircraft. These developments address interfaces, tandem performance and specialized applications.
What are the applications of perovskite solar cells?
FACTS names grid-scale power, building-integrated photovoltaics, space and aerospace power, portable and wearable power, and indoor and IoT devices as applications. Space and aerospace power activity grew 22.7% in the last 12 months compared with the previous 12 months, while building-integrated photovoltaics declined 27.0% in the same comparison. These figures indicate research activity, not market adoption.