CSIRO researchers develop printed perovskite solar cell with 15.5% conversion efficiency

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
CSIRO principal research scientist Dr Doojin Vak
CSIRO’s roll-to-roll solar cell printing uses “specialised carbon inks, which further reduce production costs”, said principal research scientist Dr Doojin Vak. Image: CSIRO

Researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have developed a roll-to-roll printed solar cell with a power conversion efficiency as high as 15.5%.

The process involves printing perovskite solar cells onto thin plastic films, enabling cells to be “highly flexible and portable,” according to CSIRO. The organisation suggested that these printed cells could be used in urban construction, mining operations and personal electronics, where the large swathes of space required for large-scale silicon solar panel deployment are not available.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The research is the latest innovation in thin-film solar technology, following the development of “paper-thin” solar cells by MIT in December 2022. CSIRO’s research produced two operational cells, one with a conversion efficiency of 15.5% over “a small scale” and one with a conversion efficiency of 11% on a module measuring 50cm2, a record efficiency figure for a cell of this size.

“Roll-to-roll printing allows for the solar cells to be manufactured on very long, continuous rolls of plastic, which can dramatically increase the rate of production,” said Dr Anthony Chesman, CSIRO’s Renewable Energy Systems Group leader. “As these methods are already widely used in the printing industry, this makes their production more accessible for Australian manufacturers.

“The successful commercialisation of printed flexible solar cells has the potential to create significant economic and environmental benefits for Australia and the world.”

While the technology is a long way from commercial-scale production, Chesman’s emphasis on the potential for Australian-based manufacturing could be of benefit to the country’s solar sector as a whole. Earlier this year, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) set out a “credible pathway” to expand Australian solar manufacturing capacity, targeting 10GW of polysilicon purification capacity and 5GW of ingot, wafer, cell and module production capacity by 2030.

Australia is one of a number of countries that have invested more in domestic solar manufacturing, following the publication of figures from Wood Mackenzie that show that China is on track to hold over 80% of the world’s solar manufacturing capacity until 2026. Should Australia meet ARENA’s targets, China will still dominate global solar manufacturing, but the CSIRO researchers are optimistic that their latest work will offer benefits for solar manufacturing beyond sheer scale.

“Perovskites are a class of emerging solar cell material. They’re remarkable because they can be formulated into inks and used in industrial printers,” said CSIRO principal research scientist Dr Doojin Vak. “We’ve also alleviated the need to use expensive metals, such as gold, in their production by using specialised carbon inks, which further reduces production costs.”

Read Next

September 9, 2025
Australia's National Electricity Market (NEM) broke records yesterday when renewables supplied 76.4% of total electricity demand, with solar power contributing nearly 60% of the record-breaking clean energy mix.
September 5, 2025
Research firm Rystad Energy has found that Queensland’s utility-scale solar PV power plants have dominated the best-performing assets, in terms of AC capacity factor, rankings for August 2025.
September 4, 2025
ARENA has launched the second funding round of its AU$1 billion Solar Sunshot programme, making AU$150 million available.
September 3, 2025
Huasun claims it has set new record efficiencies for HJT-perovskite tandem solar cells at both laboratory and commercial scales.
September 3, 2025
LONGi, Jinko Solar, Trina Solar and JA Solar posted combined net losses of nearly RMB11 billion (US$1.54 billion) in H1 2025.
September 1, 2025
Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) hit a record high for the combined utility-scale solar PV and wind share in the electricity mix on 30 August.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines