Vermont Startup Verde Technologies Partners with National Renewal Energy Laboratory on Perovskite Solar Cells

Source: Verde Technologies

Verde Technologies Inc., a perovskite-focused thin-film solar company, announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Northern Illinois University (NIU) to work collaboratively on the commercialization of perovskite solar cells. By combining NREL’s and NIU’s recent breakthroughs with Verde’s cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, this collaboration aims to unlock the potential of efficient, safe, low-cost perovskite solar panels at an unprecedented scale.

Perovskite solar cells are thin-film devices built with layers of materials, either printed or coated from liquid inks or vacuum-deposited. The panels that Verde is developing are designed to be many times lighter than traditional solar panels and printed with a liquid ink that can be turned into semiconductors.

“Many of the pieces of the puzzle needed for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells are likely already out there,” says NREL’s Senior Scientist Dr. Kai Zhu. “It is now largely a matter of figuring out how to put the pieces together, with some tunings, in a stable, low-cost, scalable form factor.” In the corner of Vermont, lies a startup that has the missing piece needed to complete this puzzle and revolutionize solar.

At the core of this partnership lies a fully exclusive agreement for rights to a portfolio of NREL’s breakthrough perovskite solar technologies, spearheaded by Dr. Kai Zhu from NREL and Dr. Tao Xu from NIU. One of these innovations, which plays a vital role in Verde’s perovskite solar modules, is a lead sequestration layer that eliminates concerns of hazardous lead leakage while preserving the structural integrity and power output of the solar cells. With a focus on environmental friendliness and efficient recycling, this technology empowers Verde to create sustainable, affordable, and safe solutions for the solar industry.

“This set of technology will help to stabilize the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells manufactured at Verde Technologies and minimize any potential leakage of toxic lead content from perovskite solar cells,” says Dr. Xu. “I am excited to see that Verde is taking NREL/NIU’s technologies toward commercialization in the emerging perovskite PV market.”

Furthermore, the partnership introduces NREL’s innovative active encapsulation technique which is unlike traditional laminant encapsulation. By applying this novel treatment to the entire solar cell, it forms a comprehensive seal that enhances stability and performance by reducing moisture sensitivity. This breakthrough in encapsulation technology strengthens the durability and longevity of solar panels, making them highly resilient even in challenging environments. Verde Technologies incorporates this innovation into its manufacturing process, further enhancing the reliability of its solar modules.

“Our team could not be more excited to have signed this exclusive deal with NREL and to be collaborating with some of the top minds in solar, Dr. Kai Zhu and Dr. Tao Xu.” Says Verde CEO Skylar Bagdon,  This agreement perfectly exemplifies Verde’s commitment to collaborating with the community and taking a holistic view of module design that addresses all the key factors of stability, manufacturability, safety, and low cost.”

Verde Technologies’ collaborative approach to perovskite development is not limited to this recent deal with NREL. Verde also recently signed an exclusive agreement with the University of Toledo for a piece of technology that resulted in one of the most stable perovskite solar cells ever seen. Leveraging the university’s best-in-class stability technology, Verde is uniquely positioned to commercialize reliable and long-lasting solar modules.

These two deals come just months after Verde was named a commercial partner for the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) $11.25 million cost-shared award to create a center for developing perovskite solar technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This collaboration means that Verde, MIT, the University of California at San Diego, Princeton University, and CubicPV will be working together to stabilize perovskites further and move toward commercialization.