Key takeaways:
TNO demonstrated a perovskite module integrated into a curved roof tile, retaining 12.4% efficiency after installation
The development reflects perovskite technology’s adaptation to non-flat, building-integrated applications
Further work towards long-term stability and target to limit degradation over a 20-year operation period
Perovskite solar cells have seen rapid efficiency gains and are finding several applications beyond tandem integration with crystalline silicon, such as flexible and lightweight PV. Although both perovskite and silicon single-junction cells are limited by the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit of about 33%, tandem configurations combining the 2 technologies can exceed this limit. Companies have also made prototypes and announced mass production of perovskite-only modules with efficiencies of about 16.1%, with giga-scale manufacturing.
However, more and more applications are being explored for single-junction perovskite solar panels, and one such application is a roof tile, fabricated by the Netherlands-based Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Together with ASAT B.V., it claims to have achieved a conversion efficiency of 13.8% for a perovskite module, and after installing it on a curved roof tile, the module retained 12.4% efficiency.
Earlier in March 2026, TNO spun off Perovion Technologies to support the commercialization of lightweight, flexible perovskite solar cells manufacturing in the Netherlands via a factory setup using a roll-to-roll process for continuous production. The motivation is to make perovskite solar cell applications reach surfaces where traditional panels are not suitable. Perovion will also help reach commercialization of the perovskite rooftile manufacturing, according to TNO.
This development came to light in collaboration with European partners to support domestic manufacturing and is funded by the Province of North Brabant under the ‘Solar manufacturing industry to Brabant, Solliance 2.0’ project. It also received additional funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe program for the LUMINOSITY project and from the National Growth Fund program, SolarNL.
TNO identifies challenges in perovskite technology, such as its short service life and poor stability compared to mainstream PV, and plans to invest in developing modules that degrade by no more than 20% after 20 years of deployment. Together with several partners in European projects, TNO is working to overcome these challenges in the long run.
TaiyangNews will delve into next-generation PV technologies on April 22, 2026, during a Virtual Conference on Next-Generation PV Technology, where the focus will be on Perovskite Tandem Solar Technology Status & Outlook – Assessing Commercialization Roadmaps. Registrations are free and open here.