Qcells to invest US$100 million in perovskite-tandem pilot production line

May 18, 2023
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The company has already invested in a four-year perovskite research project in Europe. Image: Qcells

Korean-owned PV manufacturer Qcells has plans to invest US$100 million into a perovskite-tandem cell pilot production line at its factory in Jincheon, South Korea.

The pilot line for perovskite-based PV cells is expected to be operational at the factory by late 2024, with a view to producing commercially viable Perovskite cells by 2026. The facility at Jincheon will work closely with Qcells’ research and development (R&D) headquarters in Thalheim, Germany, which has already been involved in tandem technology research through the PEPPERONI consortium alongside Helmhotz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB).

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

“This investment in Jincheon will mark an important step in securing technological leadership,” Qcells CEO Justin Lee said. “With global R&D network spanning from Korea, Germany and the US, Qcells will ramp up its efforts to produce high-efficiency advanced tandem cells.”

Until recently HZB held the world record for cell efficiency with a Perovskite product, having posted a 32.5% efficiency rating, but researchers from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia surpassed this level in April.

The technology has been heralded as the next step in PV cell and module production because it has proven far more efficient than silicon-based products under lab conditions. Last month the US Department of Energy awarded US$18 million to MIT and the University of Colorado Boulder to pursue research into making perovskites ‘commercially relevant’ and durable.

However, nobody has yet been able to overcome the instability of perovskite cells sufficiently to scale them for industrial production. Exposure to the elements causes the substance to degrade, diminishing its performance significantly and potentially exposing toxic elements.

Researchers in Singapore recently published a solution that removes the need for lead in perovskite cell structures.

Read Next

October 29, 2025
French firms TotalEnergies and EDF, with local partners, secured contracts for 400MW and 600MW solar projects in Saudi Arabia, supporting Vision 2030 renewable goals.
October 28, 2025
GreenYellow plans to invest US$116 million in Poland over the next three years to expand its installed capacity and customer base.
October 28, 2025
GoldenPeaks Capital secures EUR114 million (US$132 million) financing package for two solar PV Portfolio in Poland.
October 28, 2025
Chinese solar inverter producer GoodWe has launched a new “low noise, low weight” string inverter for the European corporate & industrial solar market.
October 28, 2025
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) Australia has announced the development of a 210MWdc solar project in New Zealand's Rangitikei District.
October 27, 2025
Chinese engineering firm Shanghai Electric has signed an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract with independent power producer (IPP) Econergy to build a 342MW solar PV plant in Romania.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
November 12, 2025
10am PST / 1pm EST
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 10, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany