NREL and CubicPV reach 24% for perovskite minimodule
A collaborative effort between NREL and CubicPV has yielded a perovskite minimodule with 24.0 percent certified efficiency, which marks the first time a US effort has set a record in the perovskite minimodule category.
The researchers at NREL and at CubicPV, a company based in the Boston area, made the minimodule from multiple interconnected cells, with several steps in the fabrication sequence done at each location.
CubicPV’s focus is on tandem solar devices, using perovskites on top of silicon to make a solar panel that captures more photons and continues to lower the cost of energy, while NREL’s focus is on advancing manufacturing, durability, and efficiency of perovskite-enabled tandems. The collaboration amplifies each partner’s strengths.
Kai Zhu, a senior scientist in NREL's Chemistry and Nanoscience Center has previously collaborated with CubicPV. Zhu said the complementary expertise of the two organisations is a testament not only to technical excellence, but to the accelerated impact of combining complementary strengths.
Adam Lorenz, chief technology officer of CubicPV, said future efforts will focus on demonstrating durable performance outdoors and producing larger area perovskite modules. “We are committed to leveraging US technical leadership and collaborating with the top researchers in the world to drive cutting-edge perovskite science toward scalable, commercially viable, and durable products,” he said.
The previous record for a perovskite minimodule, published in May 2025, was 23.9 percent. The solar cell efficiency tables are published twice a year in the journal Progress in Photovoltaics. The next iteration will appear near year’s end, which gives NREL and CubicPV time to surpass their current record.
The US Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office funded the research.
