Tandem PV has opened a 40 MW demonstration factory in Fremont, California, for perovskite-silicon technology
The facility will validate large-format manufacturing of high-efficiency tandem modules, with internal testing showing efficiencies up to 29.7%
Initial module shipments are planned for customer trials in 2026, with the company targeting large-scale manufacturing by 2028
Tandem PV, Inc. has opened its commercial demonstration factory for perovskite-silicon solar panels in the US, with an annual installed capacity of 40 MW.
The factory is located in Fremont, California. It will commercialize US-manufactured next-generation solar panels for utility-scale projects, said the tandem PV technology startup, as electricity demand, partly driven by data centers and AI, increases.
Launched through the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Activate accelerator, Tandem PV says the demonstration fab builds on its R&D progress that is now translating into production panels, including 29.7% efficiency based on internal testing.
Its proprietary technology combines a thin perovskite light-absorbing layer with a conventional silicon solar cell. The manufacturer is targeting over 25-year performance for its modules, ‘consistent’ with industry standards and warranty requirements for utility-scale solar projects.
The Fremont factory, spread over a space of 65,000 sq. ft., is producing panels roughly 60 times larger than Tandem PV’s R&D scale devices. It intends the factory to validate large-format production and accelerate market adoption.
“This factory marks the shift from impressive R&D results to repeatable manufacturing at a commercially meaningful scale,” said Tandem PV CEO Scott Wharton. “People have talked for years about the promise of perovskites. This is what it looks like to deliver.”
Tandem PV is now producing initial modules with shipments planned to support customer validation trials later this year. It targets to sell initial commercial modules from the California fab this year, before entering high-volume manufacturing in 2028.
Wharton added, “It is an important milestone in restoring American leadership in solar manufacturing through the kind of breakthrough engineering Silicon Valley is known for.” The line will reshore advanced solar manufacturing in the US and reduce reliance on overseas supply chains.
“The line is designed to demonstrate that perovskite-silicon tandem panels can be manufactured reliably in the United States at scale with high power density, durability, and lower costs,” stated the company.
Last year, in March 2025, Tandem PV raised $50 million in new Series A funds and loans in a round that included former SunPower CEO Tom Werner (see Perovskite Solar Technology Firm Tandem PV Raises $50 Million).
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