logo
Japan sees bright future for ultra-thin, flexible solar panels

Japan sees bright future for ultra-thin, flexible solar panels

Time of India20-07-2025
Japan
is heavily investing in a new kind of ultra-thin,
flexible solar panel
that it hopes will help it meet
renewable energy
goals while challenging China's dominance of the sector.
Pliable perovskite panels are perfect for mountainous Japan, with its shortage of flat plots for traditional solar farms, and a key component of the panels is iodine, something Japan produces more of than any country but Chile.
The push faces some obstacles: perovskite panels contain toxic lead, and, for now, produce less power and have shorter lifespans than their silicon counterparts.
Still, with a goal of net-zero by 2050 and a desire to break China's solar supremacy, perovskite cells are "our best card to achieve both decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness," minister of industry Yoji Muto said in November.
"We need to succeed in their implementation in society at all costs," he said.
The government is offering generous incentives to get industry on board, including a 157-billion-yen ($1 billion) subsidy to plastic maker Sekisui Chemical for a factory to produce enough perovskite
solar panels
to generate 100 megawatts by 2027, enough to power 30,000 households.
By 2040, Japan wants to install enough perovskite panels to generate 20 gigawatts of electricity, equivalent to adding about 20 nuclear reactors.
That should help Japan's target to have renewable energy cover up to 50 percent of
electricity demand
by 2040.
Breaking the silicon ceiling
The nation is looking to solar power, including perovskite and silicon-based solar cells, to cover up to 29 percent of all electricity demand by that time, a sharp rise from 9.8 percent in 2023.
"To increase the amount of renewable energy and achieve
carbon neutrality
, I think we will have to mobilise all the technologies available," said Hiroshi Segawa, a specialist in next-generation solar technology at the University of
Tokyo
.
"Perovskite solar panels can be built domestically, from the raw materials to production to installation. In that sense, they could significantly contribute to things like energy security and economic security," he told AFP.
Tokyo wants to avoid a repeat of the past boom and bust of the Japanese solar business.
In the early 2000s, Japanese-made silicon solar panels accounted for almost half the global market.
Now, China controls more than 80 percent of the global solar
supply chain
, from the production of key raw material to assembling modules.
Silicon solar panels are made of thin wafers that are processed into cells that generate electricity.
They must be protected by reinforced glass sheets and metal frames, making the final products heavy and cumbersome.
Perovskite solar cells, however, are created by printing or painting ingredients such as iodine and lead onto surfaces like film or sheet glass.
The final product can be just a millimetre thick and a tenth the weight of a conventional silicon solar cell.
Perovskite panels' malleability means they can be installed on uneven and curved surfaces, a key feature in Japan, where 70 percent of the country is mountainous.
Generating where power is used
The panels are already being incorporated into several projects, including a 46-storey Tokyo building to be completed by 2028.
The southwestern city of Fukuoka has also said it wants to cover a domed baseball stadium with perovskite panels.
And major electronics brand
Panasonic
is working on integrating perovskite into windowpanes.
"What if all of these windows had solar cells integrated in them?" said Yukihiro Kaneko, general manager of Panasonic's perovskite PV development department, gesturing to the glass-covered high-rise buildings surrounding the firm's Tokyo office.
That would allow power to be generated where it is used, and reduce the burden on the national grid, Kaneko added.
For all the enthusiasm, perovskite panels remain far from mass production.
They are less efficient than their silicon counterparts, and have a lifespan of just a decade, compared to 30 years for conventional units.
The toxic lead they contain also means they need careful disposal after use.
However, the technology is advancing fast. Some prototypes can perform nearly as powerfully as silicon panels and their durability is expected to reach 20 years soon.
University professor Segawa believes Japan could have a capacity of 40 gigawatts from perovskite by 2040, while the technology could also speed up renewable uptake elsewhere.
"We should not think of it as either silicon or perovskite. We should look at how we can maximise our ability to utilise renewable energy," Segawa said.
"If Japan could show a good model, I think it can be brought overseas."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Europe hopes for 'no surprises' as US weighs force withdrawals
Europe hopes for 'no surprises' as US weighs force withdrawals

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Europe hopes for 'no surprises' as US weighs force withdrawals

After keeping Donald Trump happy with a pledge to up defence spending at NATO's summit, Europe is now bracing for a key decision from the US president on the future of American forces on the continent. Washington is currently conducting a review of its military deployments worldwide -- set to be unveiled in coming months -- and the expectation is it will lead to drawdowns in Europe. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Technology PGDM Product Management Others Cybersecurity Digital Marketing others Finance Healthcare MBA Leadership Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics Operations Management Data Science healthcare MCA CXO Design Thinking Data Science Public Policy Management Project Management Degree Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks MIT xPRO CERT-MIT XPRO Building AI Prod India Starts on undefined Get Details That prospect is fraying the nerves of US allies, especially as fears swirl that Russia could look to attack a NATO country within the next few years if the war in Ukraine dies down. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo However, the alliance is basking in Trump's newfound goodwill following its June summit in The Hague, and his officials are making encouraging noises that Europe will not be left in the lurch. "We've agreed to no surprises and no gaps in the strategic framework of Europe," said Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO, adding he expected the review to come out in "late summer, early fall". Live Events "I have daily conversations with our allies about the process," he said. While successive US governments have mulled scaling back in Europe to focus more on China, Trump has insisted more forcefully than his predecessors that the continent should handle its own defence. "There's every reason to expect a withdrawal from Europe," said Marta Mucznik from the International Crisis Group. "The question is not whether it's going to happen, but how fast." When Trump returned to office in January many felt he was about to blow a hole in the seven-decade-old alliance. But the vibe in NATO circles is now far more upbeat than those desperate days. "There's a sanguine mood, a lot of guesswork, but the early signals are quite positive," one senior European diplomat told AFP, talking as others on condition of anonymity. "Certainly no panic or doom and gloom." 'Inevitable' The Pentagon says there are nearly 85,000 US military personnel in Europe -- a number that has fluctuated between 75,000 and 105,000 since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "I think it is inevitable that they pull out some of their forces," a second European diplomat told AFP. "But I don't expect this to be like a dramatic overhaul. I think it's going to be gradual. I think it's going to be based on consultations." Trump's first target is likely to be the troops left over from a surge ordered by his predecessor Joe Biden after Moscow's tanks rolled into Ukraine. Officials say relocating the rump of that 20,000-strong deployment would not hurt NATO's deterrence too much -- but alarm bells would ring if Trump looked to cut too deep into personnel numbers or close key bases. The issue is not just troop numbers -- the US has capabilities such as air defences, long-range missiles and satellite surveillance that allies would struggle to replace in the short-term. "The kinds of defence investments by Europe that are being made coming out of The Hague summit may only be felt in real capability terms over many years," said Ian Lesser from the German Marshall Fund think tank. "So the question of timing really does matter." 'Inopportune moment' Washington's desire to pull back from Europe may be tempered by Trump now taking a tougher line with Russia -- and Moscow's reluctance to bow to his demands to end the Ukraine war. "It seems an inopportune moment to send signals of weakness and reductions in the American security presence in Europe," Lesser said. He also pointed to Trump's struggles during his first term to pull troops out of Germany -- the potential bill for relocating them along with political resistance in Washington scuppering the plan. While European diplomats are feeling more confident than before about the troop review, they admit nothing can be certain with the mercurial US president. Other issues such as Washington's trade negotiations with the EU could rock transatlantic ties in the meantime and upend the good vibes. "It seems positive for now," said a third European diplomat. "But what if we are all wrong and a force decrease will start in 2026. To be honest, there isn't much to go on at this stage."

Over 40 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo, ending brief regional calm
Over 40 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo, ending brief regional calm

First Post

time3 hours ago

  • First Post

Over 40 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo, ending brief regional calm

The Congolese army denounced the 'large-scale massacre', adding that 'around forty civilians were surprised and killed with machetes and several others were seriously injured'. read more This aerial view shows the town of Komanda, Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on August 30, 2023. File Image: AFP More than 40 people were killed Sunday in an attack by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in northeastern DR Congo, ending a months-long period of regional calm, the UN mission and Congolese military said. The ADF, which pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019, raided a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers were gathered for prayer, residents told AFP by telephone from Bunia, capital of Ituri province. The attack killed 43 people including nine children, according to the UN peacekeeping mission in the country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'These targeted attacks on defenseless civilians, especially in places of worship, are not only revolting but also contrary to all norms of human rights and international humanitarian law,' said Vivian van de Perre, deputy chief of the peacekeeping mission. The Congolese army denounced the 'large-scale massacre', adding that 'around forty civilians were surprised and killed with machetes and several others were seriously injured'. It said the ADF had decided to take 'revenge on defenseless peaceful populations to spread terror'. Local sources had reported an earlier death toll of at least 35. Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri, did not comment on the toll but confirmed the attack to AFP, saying 'the enemy is believed to have been identified among ADF' rebels. The bloodshed comes after months of calm in the region of Ituri, bordering Uganda. The last major attack by the ADF was in February, leaving 23 dead in Mambasa territory. The town of Komanda in Irumu territory is a commercial hub linking three other provinces – Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema. The ADF, originally Ugandan rebels who are predominantly Muslim, have killed thousands of civilians and ramped up looting and killing in northeastern DRC despite the deployment of the Ugandan army alongside Congolese armed forces in the area. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the end of 2021, Kampala and Kinshasa launched a joint military operation against the ADF, dubbed 'Shujaa', which has so far been unable to dislodge the group. The Congolese army promised to continue tracking the ADF and called on the population 'to remain extra vigilant and report any suspicious presence to the defense and security forces'.

Stock futures rise as Trump, EU reach tariff deal
Stock futures rise as Trump, EU reach tariff deal

Economic Times

time4 hours ago

  • Economic Times

Stock futures rise as Trump, EU reach tariff deal

Stock-index futures climbed after the European Union struck a deal with President Donald Trump that will see the bloc face 15% tariffs on most exports, averting a potentially damaging trade war. ADVERTISEMENT S&P 500 contracts rose 0.4% and those for European stocks jumped 1%. The euro was slightly stronger against the dollar after the US-EU deal. Asian shares fluctuated at the open as Japanese equities declined 0.4%. Treasuries dipped slightly with yields on the 10-year gaining one basis point to 4.4%. Gold edged lower and oil was marginally higher. Investors are bracing for a busy week of data - including meetings of the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan - and earnings from megacap companies that could set the tone for the rest of the year in markets and the economy. Stocks have risen from their slump in April as investors speculate the US will strike trade deals with countries and that will help avoid significant damage to company earnings and the global economy. 'A US trade deal with the EU sets the markets up for a positive start to the week, although market participants also confront one of the busiest weeks on the economic calendar for the year,' wrote Kyle Rodda, a senior market analyst at in and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU deal on Sunday at his golf club in Turnberry, Scotland, although they didn't disclose the full details of the pact or release any written hard-fought deal will see the bloc face 15% tariffs on most of its exports, including automobiles, staving off a trade war that could have delivered a hammer blow to the global economy. ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile, the US and China are expected to extend their tariff truce by another three months, the South China Morning Post reported. The report comes ahead of trade talks between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Stockholm on in Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba signaled he intended to stay in office despite a growing number of calls within the ruling party for him to step down. Later in the week, the Bank of Japan is set to keep interest rates unchanged with traders on alert for any signs of future guidance by the central bank. ADVERTISEMENT This week will also bring a US jobs report, while Magnificent Seven members Apple Inc., Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Meta Platforms Inc. are all due to report numbers. Robust corporate earnings have bolstered investor confidence in US stocks, as companies head for their highest share of beats since the second quarter of in trade deals, positive economic data and corporate resilience have offset worries that stocks are overheating. More than 80% of S&P 500 companies have exceeded profit estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Intelligence. ADVERTISEMENT However, the risk of a bubble in stock markets is rising as monetary policy loosens alongside an easing in financial regulation, according to Bank of America Corp.'s Michael geopolitical news, Thailand and Cambodia are set to hold talks Monday to discuss an end to their deadly border clashes after US President Donald Trump warned Washington wouldn't make a trade deal with either country while the conflict continued. ADVERTISEMENT (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store