As the war with Iran rattles global energy markets and climate change drives the need for cleaner power, solar advocates are pointing to a fast-moving technology they believe could reshape the industry: perovskite-based solar cells.
Recent oil-supply disruptions tied to the conflict have pushed up prices and renewed concerns about the risks of relying on fuels vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. At the same time, the International Energy Agency says expanding renewable energy is essential to cutting emissions from some of the world’s most carbon-intensive sectors.
That backdrop is helping build excitement around perovskites, a class of materials that researchers say can absorb sunlight extremely well and convert it into electricity with remarkable efficiency.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the best research perovskite cells now exceed 27% efficiency, while perovskite-silicon tandem cells have reached roughly 35% in lab settings — well beyond the long-recognized ceiling for standard single-junction silicon cells.
Supporters say the promise is not just higher performance, but potentially lower-cost manufacturing. The U.S. Department of Energy says perovskite solar cells can be made using lower-temperature processes and may be compatible with ink-based printing and other manufacturing methods that could reduce production steps, capital costs and energy use.
In theory, that could allow manufacturers to produce more powerful solar panels with less energy input than conventional silicon-only designs.
Nevertheless, the technology remains a work in progress. Researchers say perovskites face stubborn hurdles, including durability problems when exposed to heat, moisture, oxygen and prolonged light. There are also concerns about scaling up production and managing the use of lead in many perovskite formulations.
Guest:
Scott Wharton is the CEO of Tandem PV, a Silicon Valley-based company developing high-efficiency perovskite-based solar panels.
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This interview will be recorded live Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 12:30 p.m.
