A Bill Gates-based photovoltaic technology that may be solar energy’s future
A Direct wafer 6 x 6 solar cell at the CubicPV facility in Bedford, MA on August 5, 2021.
Boston Globe | Boston Globe | Getty Images
In 1839, German scientist Gustav Rose went prospecting in the Ural Mountains and discovered a dark, shiny mineral. He named the calcium titanate “perovskite” after Russian mineralogist Lev Perovski. The mineral was one of many that Rose identified for science, but nearly two centuries later, materials sharing perovskite’s crystal structure could transform sustainable energy and the race against climate change by significantly boosting the efficiency of commercial solar panels.
Solar panels accounted for nearly 5% of U.S. energy production last year, up almost 11-fold from 10 years ago and enough to power about 25 million households. It’s the fastest-growing source of new power, too, accounting for 50% of all new electricity generation added in 2022. But nearly all of the solar modules that are used in power generation today consist of conventional silicon-based panels made in China, a technology that has changed little since silicon cells were discovered in the 1950s.
Other materials used, like gallium arsenide, copper indium gallium selenide and cadmium telluride — the latter a key to the largest U.S. solar company First Solar‘s growth — can be very expensive or toxic. Backers of perovskite-based solar cells say they can outperform silicon in at least two ways and accelerate efforts in the race to fight climate change. Just this week, First Solar announced the acquisition of European perovskite technology player Evolar.
The silicon limits of solar cells
Photovoltaic cells convert photons in sunlight into electricity. But not all photons are the same. They have different amounts of energy and correspond to different wavelengths in the solar spectrum. Cells made of perovskites, which refer to various materials with crystal structures resembling that of the mineral, have a higher absorption coefficient, meaning they can grab a wider range of photon energies over the sunlight spectrum to deliver more energy. While standard commercial silicon cells have efficiencies of about 21%, laboratory perovskite cells have efficiencies of up to 25.7% for those based on perovskite alone, and as much as 31.25% for those that are combined with silicon in a so-called tandem cell. Meanwhile, even as silicon efficiencies have increased, single-junction cells face a theoretical maximum efficiency barrier of 29%, known as the Shockley-Queisser limit; their practical limit is as low as 24%.
Furthermore, perovskite cells can be more sustainable to produce than silicon. Intense heat and large amounts of energy are needed to remove impurities from silicon, and that produces a lot of carbon emissions. It also has to be relatively thick to work. Perovskite cells are very thin — less than 1 micrometer — and can be painted or sprayed on surfaces, making them relatively cheap to produce. A 2020 Stanford University analysis of an experimental production method estimated that perovskite modules could be made for only 25 cents per square foot, compared to about $2.50 for the silicon equivalent.
“Industries will set up production lines in factories for commercialization of their solar cells before 2025,” says Toin University of Yokohama engineering professor Tsutomu Miyasaka, who reported the creation of the first perovskite solar cell in 2009. “Not only for use in outdoor solar panels but also indoor IoT power devices, which will be a big market for perovskite photovoltaic devices because they can work even under weak illumination.”
Backing next-generation climate technology
Companies around the world are starting to commercialize perovskite panels. CubicPV, based in Massachusetts and Texas, has been developing tandem modules since 2019, and its backers include Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The company says its modules are formed of a bottom silicon layer and a top perovskite layer and their efficiency will reach 30%. Their advantage, according to CEO Frank van Mierlo, is the company’s perovskite chemistry and its low-cost manufacturing method for the silicon layer that makes the tandem approach economical.
Last month, the Department of Energy announced that CubicPV will be the lead industry participant in a new Massachusetts Institute of Technology research center that will harness automation and AI to optimize the production of tandem panels. Meanwhile, CubicPV is set to decide on the location of a new 10GW silicon wafer plant in the U.S., a move it says will speed tandem development.
“Tandem extracts more power from the sun, making every solar installation more powerful and accelerating the world’s ability to curb the worst impacts of climate change,” said Van Mierlo. “We believe that in the next decade, the entire industry will switch to tandem.”
In Europe, Oxford PV is also planning to start making tandem modules. A spinoff from Oxford University, it claims a 28% efficiency for tandems and says it’s developing a multi-layered cell with 37% efficiency. The company is building a solar cell factory in Brandenburg, Germany, but it has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic and supply-chain snags. Still, the startup, founded in 2010 and backed by Norwegian energy company Equinor, Chinese wind turbine maker Goldwind and the European Investment Bank, is hopeful it can start shipments this year pending regulatory certification. The technology would initially be priced higher than conventional silicon cells because tandem offers higher energy density but the company says the economics are favorable over the full lifetime of usage.
Many solar upstarts over the years have attempted to break the market share of China and conventional silicon panels, such as the notoriously now bankrupt Solyndra, which used copper indium gallium selenide. First Solar’s cadmium telluride thin film approach survived a decade-long solar shakeout because of its balance between low-cost relative to crystalline silicon and efficiency. But it now sees tandem cells as a key to the solar industry’s future, too.
“Perovskite is a disruptive material without disrupting the business model — the entrenched capacity to manufacture based on silicon,” says Oxford PV CTO Chris Case. “Our product will be better at producing lower-cost energy than any competing solar technology.”
The Brandenburg, Germany manufacturing plant of Oxford PV, a spinoff of Oxford University, that claims a 28% efficiency for its tandem solar cells and says it’s developing a multi-layered cell with 37% efficiency.
Oxford PV
Caelux, a California Institute of Technology spinoff, is also focused on commercializing tandem cells. Backed by VC Vinod Khosla and Indian energy, telecom and retail conglomerate Reliance Industries, Caelux wants to work with existing silicon module companies by adding a layer of perovskite glass to conventional modules to increase efficiency by 30% or more.
Questions about performance outside the lab
Perovskites face challenges in terms of cost, durability and environmental impact before it can put a dent in the market. One of the best-performing versions is lead halide perovskites, but researchers are trying to formulate other compositions to avoid lead toxicity.
Martin Green, a solar cell researcher at the University of New South Wales in Australia, believes silicon-based tandem cells will be the next big step forward in solar technology. But he cautions that they are not known to work well enough outside the lab. Perovskite materials can degrade when exposed to moisture, a problem with which researchers have claimed some success.
“The big question is whether perovskite/silicon tandem cells will ever have the stability required to be commercially viable,” said Green, who heads the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics. “Although progress has been made since the first perovskite cells were reported, the only published field data for such tandem cells with competitive efficiency suggest they would only survive a few months outdoors even when carefully encapsulated.”
In a recent field trial, tandem cells were tested for over a year in Saudi Arabia and were found to retain more than 80% of an initial 21.6% conversion efficiency. For its part, Oxford PV says its solar cells are designed to meet the standard 25- to 30-year lifetime expectancy when assembled into standard photovoltaic modules. It says its demonstration tandem modules passed key industry accelerated stress tests to predict solar module lifetimes.
Japan’s on-building perovskite experiments
In Japan, large, flat expanses of land that can host mega-solar projects are hard to come by due to the archipelago’s mountainous terrain. That’s one reason companies are developing thin, versatile perovskite panels for use on walls and other parts of buildings. Earlier this year, Sekisui Chemical and NTT Data installed perovskite cells on the exterior of buildings in Tokyo and Osaka to test their performance over a year. Electronics maker Panasonic, meanwhile, created an inkjet printer that can turn out thin-film perovskite cells in various sizes, shapes and opacities, meaning they can be used in regular glass installed on windows, walls, balconies and other surfaces.
“Onsite power generation and consumption will be very beneficial for society,” says Yukihiro Kaneko, general manager at Panasonic’s Applied Materials Technology Center. “For Japan to achieve its decarbonization goal, you would need to build 1,300 ballpark-sized mega-solar projects every year. That’s why we think building solar into windows and walls is best.”
Exhibited at CES 2023, Panasonic’s 30cm-square perovskite-only cell has an efficiency of 17.9%, the highest in the world, according to a ranking from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The manufacturer stands to get a boost from regulations such as a recently announced requirement that all new housing projects in Tokyo have solar panels starting in 2025. Panasonic says it aims to commercialize its perovskite cells in the next five years.
Perovskite cell inventor Miyasaka believes perovskite-based power generation will account for more than half of the solar cell market in 2030, not by replacing silicon but through new applications such as building walls and windows.
“The rapid progress in power conversion efficiency was a surprising and truly unexpected result for me,” said Miyasaka. “In short, this will be a big contribution to realizing a self-sufficient sustainable society.”
![All the EVs (and one PHEV) you can buy with 0% financing in March 2025 [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/zero-percent-financing_MARCH.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Lease deals get all the hype, but most people still want to own the car after they’re done making all those payments on it. If that sounds like you, and you’ve been waiting for the interest rates on auto loans to drop, you’re in luck: there are a bunch of great plug-in cars you can buy with 0% financing this March … and that includes a zero percent Tesla deal!
UPDATE: some American icons return to the list, and we’ve got more bonus cash offers, too!
I’ve done a couple of these now, so you probably already know that there were plenty of ways for me to present this information. “Best EVs ..?” Too opinion based. “Cheapest EVs ..?” Too much research. In the end, I went with alphabetical order, by make. And, as for which deals are new this month? You’re just gonna have to read the article. Enjoy!
Acura ZDX
The 2024 Acura ZDX uses a GM Ultium battery and drive motors, but the styling, interior, and infotainment software are all Honda. That means you’ll get a solidly-built EV with GM levels of parts support and Honda levels of fit, finish, and quality control. All that plus Apple CarPlay and 0% financing for up to 72 months makes the ZDX one the best sporty crossover deals in the business.
All the electric Chevy EVs (again)
For the second month in a row, Chevrolet is offering 0% financing for up to 60 months on all three of its Ultium-based EVs – and they’re all winners. The Silverado is an incredibly capable pickup that can be spec’ed up to a 10,500 lb. GVWR, making it eligible for Class 3 incentives up to $30,000 in some markets and capable enough to tow whatever horse, boat, or RV you put behind it.
On the crossover side, both the Chevy Blazer EV and Equinox EV each offer their own takes on the five-passenger family SUV, with the cost of base model Equinox LT FWD models with 319 miles of EPA-rated range dropping to just $27,500 after you apply the $7,500 Federal tax credit (which, for now, is still a thing).
Dodge Charger EV
As the auto industry transitions to electric, Dodge is hoping that at least a few muscle car enthusiasts with extra cash, will find their way to a Dodge store and ask for the meanest, loudest, tire-shreddingest thing on the lot.
These days, that’s the new electric Charger – and you still owed money on the Hemi you just totaled, Dodge will help get the deal done on its latest retrotastic ride with a $3,000 rebate plus 0% financing for up to 72 months!
Ford Mustang Mach-E
This month, you can get a killer deal on a new 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E (shown, above). Through March 31st, you can get $2,500 in bonus cash, a free L2 home charger installed, plus 0% financing for up to 72 months. Tesla owners can also get an additional $1,000 in conquest cash, bringing the hood money total to $3,500.
Ford also announced a 0% financing deal plus $4,000 in bonus cash on the F-150 Lightning pickup, while Ford Pro customers buying an F-150 Lightning for their commercial or public fleet can get even better deals on the OG electric trucks.
GMC Hummer and Sierra Denali EV
The biggest Ultium-based EVs from GM’s commercial truck brand are seriously impressive machines, with shockingly quick acceleration and on-road handling that seems to defy the laws of physics once you understand that these are, essentially, medium-duty trucks. This month, GMC is doing its best to move out its existing inventory of 2024s, so if you’re a fan of heavy metal you’ll definitely want to stop by your local GMC dealer and give the Hummer EV and Sierra Denali EV a test drive.
Honda Prologue
Despite the Honda Prologue was one of the top-selling electric crossovers last year by combining GM’s excellent Ultium platform with Honda sensibilities and Apple CarPlay, Honda upgraded the 2025 model with slightly more EPA range. Even so, there’s still some remaining 2024 inventory out there and dealers are ready to deal (that’s what they do, after all). To make room for the 2025 models, Honda is offering 0% APR for up to 72 months on the remaining 2024s.
Hyundai IONIQ 5
Hyundai is still offering 0% financing for 60 months on all versions of the hot-selling 2024 IONIQ 5 crossover, making it hard to overlook in the five-passenger segment. It’s worth noting that Hyundai is also offering the 5 with $7,500 bonus cash in select markets, but that offer can’t be stacked with the 0%, so do some math before deciding which way you want to go.
All the Kia EVs
Kia’s EV6 and EV9 have been grabbing headlines and setting sales records sine the Kia EV6 shocked the world, making its global debut on a drag strip where the car ran against a Lamborghini, a Porsche, and an AMG Mercedes (and won). This month, however, it’s the Kia Niro EV’s turn to shine thanks to 0% financing on the fun, compact urban runabout for up to 60 months.
The Niro’s bigger siblings are getting the 0% treatment, too, for a longer 72 month term.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
One of the first three-row plugin cars to hit the market (and a frequent addition to these 0% lists), Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV offers up to 38 miles of electric range from its 20 kWh li-ion battery, making it a great “lily pad” vehicle for suburban families who want to drive electric but still worry about being able to find a charging station when they need one.
Nissan Ariya
I’ve already said that the Nissan Ariya didn’t get a fair shake. If you click that link, you’ll read about a car that offers solid driving dynamics, innovative interior design, and all the practicality that makes five-passenger crossovers the must-haves they’ve become for most families. With great discounts available at participating dealers, Supercharger access, and 0% interest from Nissan for up to 72 months, Nissan dealers should have no trouble finding homes for their remaining 2024 Ariya crossovers.
Subaru Soltera
Despite being something of a slow seller, this mechanical twin of the Toyota bZ4X EV seems like a solid mid-size electric crossover with some outdoorsy vibes and granola style that offers more than enough utility to carry your mountain bikes to the trail or your kayaks to the river. The company is hoping to help clear out its remaining 2024 models with big discounts and 0% financing for up to 72 months.
Tesla Model 3
Say what you will about Elon Musk – and I say plenty over on the Quick Charge podcast – the fact remains that we wouldn’t be here talking about EVs at all if it wasn’t for his marketing brilliance, bravado, and sheer force of will. Beyond that, Tesla simply offers as superior ownership experience through total software integration, unfettered access to the Supercharger network, and the best EV route-planning software this side of Chargeway.
If you can stomach being associated with Elon (or have an inside line on some spare Honda badges), you can get a new Model 3 for 0% interest or 0.99% with $0 down if you apply the $7,500 Federal tax incentive at the point of purchase.
Volkswagen ID.4
One of the most popular legacy EVs, the ID.4 offers Volkswagen build quality and (for 2024) a Chat-GPT enabled interface. To keep ID.4 sales rolling, VW dealers are getting aggressive with discounts, making this fast-charging, 291 mile EPA-rated range, 5-star safety rated EV a value proposition that’s tough to beat.
This month, get a Volkswagen ID.4 with 0% financing for up to 72 months plus a $5,000 customer cash bonus to stack with it.
Disclaimer: the vehicle models and financing deals above were sourced from CarsDirect, CarEdge, and (where mentioned) the OEM websites – and were current as of 09MAR2025. These deals may not be available in every market, with every discount, or for every buyer (the standard “with approved credit” fine print should be considered implied). Check with your local dealer(s) for more information.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Following approval from Transport Canada, EV startup Workhorse will be bringing the W56 and W750 model electric delivery vans to commercial truck dealers in Canada as early as this spring.
Workhorse first showed its W56 medium-duty electric truck at Indiana’s Work Truck Week in 2023, and has sold the trucks to logistics and delivery companies like FedEx and Pride Group – which ordered more than six thousand of the electric vans in 2021, and continues to expand its fleet.
“This is a major step forward for Workhorse,” says Josh Anderson, Workhorse’s chief technology officer in a press statement. “Pre-clearance from Transport Canada opens up a large new market for our products throughout Canada, including with fleets that operate across borders in North America.”
As part of the approval process, Workhorse completed its registration as a foreign manufacturer under Transport Canada’s Appendix G clearance program. Transport Canada confirmed the vans’ compliance with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for both vehicles – but it remains to be seen if and how the latest tariff-driven trade war between the Trump Administration’s US and Canada will impact Workhorse’s plans to expand throughout North America.
Despite that uncertainty, Workhorse execs remain upbeat. “We’re excited that our electric step vans can now reach Canadian roads and highways, providing reliable, zero-emission solutions that customers can depend on,” added Anderson.
Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.
Electrek’s Take
There’s no other way to say it: the Trump/Musk co-presidency is disrupting a lot of companies’ plans – and that’s especially true across North American borders. But in all this chaos and turmoil there undoubtedly lies opportunity, and it will be interesting to see who ends up on top.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Workhorse, via Electric Autonomy Canada.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![Liebherr developing giant, 140-ton Segway-style autonomous haulers [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/operational-area-earth-moving-copy.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The new Liebherr S1 Vision 140-ton hauler is unlike any heavy haul truck currently on the market – primarily because the giant, self-propelled, single-axle autonomous bucket doesn’t look anything like any truck you’ve ever seen.
Liebherr says its latest heavy equipment concept was born from a desire to rethink truck design with a focus only on core functions. The resulting S1 Vision is primarily just a single axle with two powerful electric motors sending power to a pair of massive airless tires designed carry loads up to 131 tonnes (just over 140 tons).
The design enables rapid maintenance, as important components easily accessible for quick servicing. Wear parts can be replaced efficiently, and the electric drive significantly reduces maintenance work. This helps to minimise downtimes and increases operational efficiency.
LIEBHERR
Because of its versatility, durability, and ability to perform zero-turn maneuvers that other equipment simply can’t, the Liebherr S1 Vision can be adapted for various applications, including earthmoving, mining, and even agriculture. There’s also a nonzero chance of this technology finding applications supporting other on-site equipment through charging or fuel delivery.
The S1 accomplishes that trick safely with the help of an automatic load leveling system that ensures maximum stability, even on bumpy or rough terrain. The company says this technology significantly reduces the risk of tipping while providing smooth and secure operation across various environments.
Liebherr will show the S1 Vision at this year’s bauma equipment exhibition in Munich, Germany. The design has already been nominated for the bauma Innovation Award in the Mechanical Engineering category – and my money’s on it winning.
Electrek’s Take
This is such goofy, stupid fun that if it was wheelbarrow-sized I’d have three of them. I can’t imagine the insanity of watching one of these things roll across a job site with 100 tons of granite in the bucket – and will have nightmares about the kind of damage it could do if it flipped out like a poorly made Chinese hoverboard clone whipping a toddler across a living room … which, in fairness, would probably get a billion views on Instagram or TikTok or whatever.
I can’t wait.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Liebherr.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports11 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway