METI to verify durability of perovskite solar cells / demonstration on roads and railways, GI fund to be increased
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is launching a demonstration project for perovskite solar cells targeting infrastructure such as roads and railways. Since infrastructure is often located in areas where installation is difficult, this project will test maintenance systems and durability. The aim is to build expertise and accelerate the adoption of perovskite solar cells in infrastructure. To carry out the demonstration, METI aims to secure additional funding from the Green Innovation (GI) Fund.
The GI fund has allocated 80 billion yen for perovskite solar cell-related projects. Of this amount, the METI aims to increase the budget for a 37.8 billion yen project focused on the development of mass production technology and field demonstrations. Four companies, including Sekisui Chemical and Ricoh, have already been selected, and the budget for this portion has been nearly exhausted.
By increasing the budget, the government plans to solicit applications from new companies. Based on past cases, it is estimated that a budget in the range of several billion to ten billion yen will be required.
Demonstration projects will begin, focusing specifically on public facilities and infrastructure spaces. Infrastructure includes roads, railways, airports, and ports. These are locations that require designs taking into account the transportation and installation of solar panels.
For example, when installing panels on station buildings, construction and maintenance must be performed while trains are stopped. Similarly, work on roads cannot be easily carried out while vehicles are passing. At airports, high safety standards are required to avoid disrupting flight operations. These projects demand not only economic viability but also high durability.
Through the GI Fund’s support for perovskite solar cell development, the goal is to reduce costs to 20 yen per kWh by FY2025 and further lower them to 14 yen per kWh—on par with silicon solar cells—by FY 2030. The aim is to accelerate societal implementation through various demonstration projects.