CHEOPS · Project

Low-Cost Perovskite Solar Cells Scaled from Lab to Pre-Production Modules

energyTestedTRL 5

Imagine a new type of solar cell material — perovskite — that's dramatically cheaper to produce than traditional silicon panels. In the lab, small samples already convert sunlight to electricity at over 20% efficiency, but nobody had figured out how to make them bigger without losing most of that performance. CHEOPS cracked that scaling problem, building modules up to 15x15 cm² that still hit 14% stable efficiency, and even stacked perovskite on top of silicon cells to push toward 29% efficiency — all at a fraction of current manufacturing costs.

By the numbers

>20%

Lab-scale perovskite cell efficiency achieved

14%

Stabilised aperture area efficiency on 15x15 cm² modules

<0.3€/Wp

Cost target for single-junction perovskite modules

>29%

Tandem cell efficiency target on 2x2 cm² cells

15%

Lead-free perovskite cell stable efficiency on 1 cm²

12%

Stable efficiency of 10x10 cm² module

€3,299,095

EU contribution to the project

Consortium partners across 7 countries

<0.4€/Wp

Cost target for perovskite-silicon tandem cells

The business problem

What needed solving

Solar energy is cheap, but not cheap enough for every surface. Traditional silicon panels are rigid, heavy, and too expensive for building facades, curved rooftops, or lightweight structures. The industry needs a next-generation solar material that can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost while maintaining competitive efficiency — and that can be applied to surfaces where silicon simply does not work.

The solution

What was built

The project built working perovskite solar modules at 15x15 cm² with 14% stable efficiency, 10x10 cm² modules at 15% initial efficiency (12% stable), lead-free perovskite cells at 15% stable efficiency, and demonstrated low-temperature deposition processes, laser patterning below 500 µm dead area width, and improved charge transport layers — all in a pre-production environment with defined cost targets below 0.3€/Wp.

Audience

Who needs this

Solar module manufacturers looking for next-generation low-cost cell technologyBuilding-integrated PV companies needing lightweight, flexible solar solutionsThin-film coating equipment suppliers entering the perovskite marketConstruction firms developing energy-generating facades and glassEnergy utilities evaluating ultra-low-cost tandem solar for large installations

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics

mid-size

Target: Construction firms and facade manufacturers integrating solar into building envelopes

If you are a building materials company looking for lightweight, low-cost solar solutions for facades and rooftops — this project developed perovskite modules at 15x15 cm² with 14% stable efficiency and a cost target below 0.3€/Wp. That means solar-active building surfaces at potentially one-third the cost of conventional silicon panels, opening up facades and windows that were never economically viable before.

Solar Module Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: PV manufacturers seeking next-generation cell technology to cut production costs

If you are a solar panel manufacturer competing on price and efficiency — this project demonstrated scalable perovskite deposition processes that achieved 15% efficiency on 10x10 cm² modules (12% stable), with a tandem cell architecture targeting over 29% efficiency on 2x2 cm² cells. The cost target of less than 0.4€/Wp for tandem devices could give you a decisive edge in the utility-scale market.

Thin-Film Coating & Equipment

mid-size

Target: Companies providing deposition, patterning, or coating equipment for electronics and solar

If you are an equipment supplier for thin-film processing and you want to enter the perovskite solar market — this project developed low-temperature deposition processes, laser patterning with dead area width below 500 µm, and improved charge transport layers with voltage gains of 5% and fill factor gains of 2% absolute. These validated process specifications are ready to be engineered into commercial coating and patterning tools.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would perovskite solar modules cost at production scale?

The project set explicit cost targets: below 0.3€/Wp for single-junction perovskite modules and below 0.4€/Wp for perovskite-silicon tandem cells. These figures assume manufacturing in a pre-production environment, not full factory scale, so actual costs at volume could potentially be even lower.

How close is this to industrial-scale manufacturing?

CHEOPS demonstrated modules at 15x15 cm² with 14% stabilised aperture area efficiency and 10x10 cm² modules at 15% initial efficiency (12% stable). These were produced in a pre-production environment, not yet a factory line. Scaling from 15 cm² modules to full commercial panels remains the next engineering step.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

The consortium includes 4 industry partners and 2 SMEs described as having 'already strong IP portfolios, ready to exploit the CHEOPS results.' IP is distributed across 12 partners in 7 countries. Licensing discussions would need to go through the coordinator CSEM in Switzerland or relevant industrial partners.

Does this technology meet stability and certification requirements?

CHEOPS specifically developed protocols for stability testing and reliable measurement procedures — a known gap in perovskite technology. They also demonstrated lead-free perovskite cells with 15% stable efficiency on 1 cm², addressing toxicity concerns. A full life-cycle sustainability assessment was performed covering environmental, social, and political risks.

How does perovskite efficiency compare to existing silicon panels?

Lab-scale perovskite cells exceeded 20% efficiency, comparable to commercial silicon. The tandem configuration — perovskite stacked on silicon — targeted over 29% on 2x2 cm² cells, which would surpass most commercial silicon panels. At module scale (15x15 cm²), the project achieved 14% stable efficiency.

What is the project timeline and current status?

CHEOPS ran from February 2016 to January 2019 and is now closed. The technology was validated in a pre-production environment during that period. Since project end, perovskite solar technology has continued advancing across the industry, with several consortium partners actively commercialising results.

Consortium

Who built it

CHEOPS assembled 12 partners from 7 countries (CH, DE, FR, IE, IT, NL, UK) with a balanced mix: 5 universities providing the science, 3 research institutes for process development, and 4 industry players (including 2 SMEs) for commercialisation. The 33% industry ratio signals genuine manufacturing intent, not just academic research. The coordinator is CSEM, a well-known Swiss applied research centre that bridges lab discoveries and industrial production. With partners described as holding strong existing IP portfolios and covering the full value chain from materials to module production, this consortium was designed to move perovskite solar from papers to products.

CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA - RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENTCoordinator · CH
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATAparticipant · IT
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE L ENVIRONNEMENT INDUSTRIEL ET DES RISQUES - INERISparticipant · FR
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNEparticipant · CH
MERCK KOMMANDITGESELLSCHAFT AUF AKTIENparticipant · DE
OXFORD PHOTOVOLTAICS LIMITEDparticipant · UK
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORDparticipant · UK
THE UNIVERSITY OF SALFORDparticipant · UK
DE WILD-SCHOLTEN MARISKAparticipant · NL
ACCELOPMENT SCHWEIZ AGparticipant · CH
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORKparticipant · IE

How to reach the team

CSEM Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique, Switzerland — contact via SciTransfer for a warm introduction to the right technical lead.

Order a report on this consortium See CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA - RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENT profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing perovskite module technology or partnering with CHEOPS researchers? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific application — from building-integrated PV to tandem cell manufacturing.

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