EneCoat achieved 17.7% efficiency with a 37 × 47 cm film-type perovskite module, verified by JET
The company is developing coating-based processes, including a tin oxide nanoparticle ink for the electron transport layer
It is pursuing roll-to-roll manufacturing under Japan's NEDO Green Innovation Fund, with a new facility inaugurated in Uji in September 2026
Japan-based EneCoat Technologies has achieved a conversion efficiency of 17.7% within a designated area of a thin-film perovskite module measuring 37 × 47 cm. The result has been verified by Japan Electrical Safety & Environment Technology Laboratories (JET). The company calls this a domestic record for film-type modules larger than 30 cm2.
EneCoat was established in 2018 as a spin-off from Kyoto University, based on research conducted by the university's Wakamiya Laboratory. It is developing lightweight, flexible perovskite solar cells for applications where installing conventional crystalline silicon modules is difficult. These include buildings with limited load-bearing capacity, walls, and mobility applications.
The latest achievement follows an earlier record in July 2026, when EneCoat reported 17.4% efficiency, verified by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
EneCoat uses a wet chemical process to form organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite films. The approach relies on low-temperature coating to produce ultrathin layers. The company is also working on coating-based processes for other functional layers in the cell. In a separate development, it collaborated with Mitsubishi Materials to develop a coating-type ink for the electron transport layer (ETL). The ink contains tin oxide (SnO₂) nanoparticles designed to remain evenly dispersed during deposition and form a dense layer on the perovskite film. The companies reported a conversion efficiency of 16% using the developed ink, around 1.5 times that achieved with conventional inks in their comparison.
EneCoat is also working to scale up production under Japan's NEDO Green Innovation Fund. Its plans include introducing roll-to-roll manufacturing for film-type perovskite solar cells. The project focuses on outdoor stationary applications, particularly rooftops and building walls with limited load-bearing capacity, where lightweight and flexible modules could offer installation advantages. In September 2026, the company opened a new facility in Uji, Kyoto, to support research, process development, and validation of manufacturing technology, including continuous processing of flexible films.
