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Climate activists have been turning up the heat on two Democratic holdouts who are on the verge of smothering President Biden’s ambitious climate plans, the well known coal stakeholder Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and the somewhat lesser known but spotlight-grabbing Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Whether or not they continue to hold out is an open question as of this writing. However, one thing is certain: Coal is on the way out. Perhaps perovskite solar cells will help fully close the door one day.

The Disruptive Potential Of The Perovskite Solar Cell

Ever since the US fell out of the global silicon solar cell race in the 1980s, policymakers have been lusting after an alternative photovoltaic technology that could be manufactured in the US, at scale, and at a price point that could beat imported silicon solar cells.

Somewhere around 2009, the Department of Energy hit upon synthetic perovskite as a potential solution. Instead of a solid mass that needs to be tailored mechanically, the meat of a perovskite solar cell is a solution of relatively inexpensive, lab-grown nanoscale crystals that can be applied like ink to practically any surface.

If you’re thinking roll-to-roll, run right out and buy yourself a cigar. If all goes according to plan, a perovskite solar cell facility could be run like a print shop, churning out reams of solar cells at high volume with minimal waste.

Perovskites could be the next big thing after plastics, but it’s not that simple. Not just any old synthetic perovskite nanocrystals can get the job done. They need to be tailored with other substances for durability. That can jack up the cost, which kind of pulls the rug out from under the whole idea of the perovskite solar cell to begin with.

Perovskite Solar Cell Activity Heats Up

Energy is energy, and it seems that some oil and gas stakeholders have taken the model of plastics to heart in pursuit of the next big thing. The company Hunt Perovksite Technologies, for example, is an offshoot of Hunt Consolidated Group, which has a long history in the fossil energy field. In an interesting move, earlier this year HPT merged with the perovskite solar cell startup 1366 Technologies to form a new perovskite venture called CubicPV.

Shell is another fossil stakeholder with a hand in the perovskite solar cell pot. In 2018, the company kickstarted the GCxN clean technology accelerator at the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and GCxN has the perovskite solar cell startup BlueDot Photonics under its wing.

Last May, NREL also organized a consortium of perovskite solar cell stakeholders, consisting of BlueDot, Energy Materials Corporation, First Solar, Hunt Perovskites Technologies (now CubicPV), Swift Solar, and Tandem PV.

Perovskite Promise Gets Real

That brings us to the latest news in the perovskite solar cell area. Last year CleanTechnica caught up with GCxN program manager Adam Duran, and he had this to say about BlueDot:

“It’s promising technology, nascent technology that they are developing quickly. They are working on a creative manufacturing technology that will help reduce costs,” he said. “It’s a novel approach to how they go through the production. This is an opportunity to take their laboratory technology and start thinking about what it would look like to do production-sized panels.”

It seems that others have caught on, including the cleantech investor group Volo Earth, which is an affiliate of NREL and the influential green organization RMI.

Last spring BlueDot raised a $1 million round of Series Seed financing through VoLo Earth Ventures. Boston-based Clean Energy Venture Group and the Seattle firm E8 were also involved, to be joined later by the nonprofit firm VertueLab of Portland, Oregon.

In the latest development, last week, Japan’s Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. announced that it had jumped into the BlueDot pool through its US branch.

“We’ve been impressed with BlueDot Photonics, which is developing a unique optical technology to improve the efficiency of solar power generation, and through investment, we hope to contribute to climate change countermeasures,” said HP President and CEO Akira Hiruma.

The seal of approval from one of the top optoelectronics marketers in the world probably won’t do much to change the minds of perovskite skeptics. However, the Hamamatsu edge could finally jolt the entire perovskite field out of the lab and onto the shelves of your local hardware store.

“Having Hamamatsu as a strategic partner is a big win for us. They are photonics experts, and their engagement will help us avoid commercialization pitfalls and identify new opportunities for our products. This will also help BlueDot consider markets outside of North America as we grow in the future,” explained BlueDot CEO Jared Silvia.

They may not be alone. Our friends over at the journal Nature recently noted that at least one legacy optoelectronics company has dipped a toe in the perovskite solar cell waters, only to bail. However, Nature also lists Panasonic and Toshiba among those still in hot pursuit of perovskite PV, along with the leading wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind of China.

Perovskites, Solar Tariffs, & The Manchin-Sinema Dance

In an echo of Silvia’s comment about “new opportunities,” Nature also teased out some hints that early markets for perovksite solar cells will be niche ones. If you have any thoughts about that, drop us a note in the comment thread.

In the meantime, NREL has been dropping hints that its 30-year collaboration on thin-film solar technology with the US firm First Solar could help push perovskites into the big leagues.

If the name First Solar brings to mind that new super secret solar tariff petition filed before the US Department of Commerce by an anonymous group companies reportedly in the solar field, you are probably not alone. However, the attorney who filed the petition is partners in a law firm that has counted the fossil-friendly organization ALEC among its roster of clients, so it’s not particularly obvious that the companies behind the petition have any significant stake in the US solar industry, especially not on the level of First Solar. It’s virtually the only true soup-to-nuts solar manufacturer in the US with domestic roots.

If you have any other guesses, drop a note in the comment thread — but you may not have to guess much longer. Last week the Commerce Department was apparently not impressed by the content of the petition, and it asked for the names of the companies behind it.

Meanwhile, the transformative potential of the perovskite solar cell dovetails neatly with President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda, which he and others have characterized as a transformative step that will save the planet from catastrophic climate change, undo generations of structural inequality in the US, and establish American democracy as the unstoppable 21st century counterforce to authoritarianism, fascism, dictatorship, autocracy, oligarchy, and whatever else.

That’s a pretty full plate, and last week it looked like Senators Manchin and Sinema were on track to blow it all up — or not, as the case may be.

On Friday evening, President Biden apparently put his foot down, so let’s see what happens next.

Follow me on Twitter @TinaMCasey.

Photo (screenshot via YouTube): Perovskite solar cell courtesy of Shell Game Changer Accelerator at NREL.

 

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Podcast: GMC Sierra EV Denali first drive, Hyundai Ioniq 9 unveiling, Jaguar rebranding, and more

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Podcast: GMC Sierra EV Denali first drive, Hyundai Ioniq 9 unveiling, Jaguar rebranding, and more

In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss our GMC Sierra EV Denali first drive, Hyundai Ioniq 9 unveiling, Jaguar’s rebranding, and more.

Sponsored by ALSET Auto: North America’s leader in paint protection and restyling; offering colored wraps, paint protection, window tint, ceramic coatings and more, exclusively on EVs.

The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):

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The electric Chrysler Pacifica is finally coming, but not soon enough

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The electric Chrysler Pacifica is finally coming, but not soon enough

It’s official: Chrysler will finally launch an electric Pacifica minivan. The company is developing clever storage ideas that could make it even more functional than Volkswagen’s recently introduced ID.Buzz. But you’ll have to wait a little longer to get your hands on one.

Chrysler confirms plans to launch an electric Pacifica

Chrysler has yet to release its first fully electric vehicle. Although the nearly 100-year-old automaker has teased several EV concepts, we have yet to see one come to fruition. That will change soon.

Earlier this year, the company revealed its Halcyon Concept, a futuristic sports car-like EV drastically different from Chrysler vehicles currently on the road. The model builds on previous concepts, like the Airflow crossover introduced in 2022.

Chrysler’s CEO, Christine Feuell, said the Halycon would be brought to life with advanced new tech from parent company Stellantis, sleek new styling, and a software-defined connected cockpit.

The radical design will be used in future Chrysler vehicles, including the electric Pacifica. At the LA Auto Show this week, Feuell confirmed to GreenCarReports that the Pacifica is due for an overhaul in 2026. The refresh will lay the groundwork for the first electric Pacifica, which is expected to launch the following year.

electric-Chrysler-Pacifica
Chrysler electric Halcyon Concept (Source: Stellantis)

Chrysler’s CEO hinted the upcoming Pacifica EV could challenge Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz, the first electric minivan to arrive in the US.

While you’ll need to remove the seats for that open-air space in the ID.Buzz, Chrysler is working on more functional solutions. According to Feuell, the company is developing a system like its patented Stow ‘N Go Seating to open up space in the rear.

electric-Chrysler-Pacifica-interior
2025 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV interior (Source: Stellantis)

Although nothing is set in stone, one option is adjustable front seats, enabling the second row to be stored underneath.

Electrek’s Take

As Chrysler’s only production model in 2024, it only makes sense to launch an electric Pacifica. The Pacifica hybrid was the fourth best-selling plug-in hybrid in the US in Q3. It also accounted for 14% (3,009) of the 21,504 Pacifica models sold last quarter.

Meanwhile, the company is quickly losing market share in the US. Pacifica sales crashed 44% in Q3 and are down 18% through September.

Several new larger electric SUVs, like the Kia EV9, are already hitting the market, and more are on the way, including the recently unveiled Hyundai IONIQ 9. With the electric Pacifica not due out until 2027 (at the earliest), Chrysler will likely continue losing ground as new, more advanced competitors roll out.

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Tesla converts Shell gas station into Supercharger and it looks awesome

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Tesla converts Shell gas station into Supercharger and it looks awesome

Tesla has converted an entire Shell gas station into a Supercharger station for electric vehicles in Spain, and it looks fantastic.

One of the favorite arguments of electric vehicle naysayers is that there are not as many charging stations as gas stations – making EVs less convenient.

The argument is flawed since most EVs are charged overnight when parked, and they can be charged literally anywhere there’s an electric outlet, which is not the case with gas-powered vehicles.

Most of the time, charging electric vehicles is more convenient than refueling a gas-powered car, and that’s going to become more widespread as time goes on because there are more charging stations being deployed, and many gas stations are going away.

In some markets where electric vehicles are being adopted at a higher rate, like in Norway, gas stations have been closing left and right.

In some cases, EV charging stations are directly replacing some.

Today, we get to see a beautiful example in Cordoba, Spain, where Tesla took over a Shell gas station and converted it into (hat tip to Aland≡Bru on X):

While it is not completed, it’s particularly interesting to see that Tesla has kept a similar design to the classic gas station setup.

To be fair, this is not exactly a new concept. There’s even a company that specializes in replacing gas stations with EV charging stations.

We have also previously seen gas station operators replacing gas pumps with charging stalls.

Interestingly, even the oil giant Shell, which is seeing its gas station here replaced by a Tesla Supercharger here, is investing in electric vehicle charging through several new efforts.

The only thing missing to this charging station is solar power, which is the best way to charger your electric car, and the best solar is on your home. If you want to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar – whether you’re a homeowner or renter. They have hundreds of vetted solar installers competing for your business (including Tesla and Powerwall certified installers in some markets), ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online, and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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