The Perovskite-Info newsletter (April 19, 2022)

After securing an investment from SPARX Group's Mirai Creation Fund III last month, Japan-based EneCoat Technologies, developer of materials for perovskite solar cells, has received an undisclosed sum from Mitsubishi Materials and NGK Insulators.

This is Mitsubishi's second investment in EneCoat, following the one in May 2020 through its MMC Innovation Investment Limited Partnership (CVC). Mitsubishi says it aims to strengthen the relationship with EneCoat through this additional financing to work on the development of materials for the electron transport layer. Mitsubishi is already collaborating with EneCoat on its R&D.

After securing an investment from SPARX Group's Mirai Creation Fund III last month, Japan-based EneCoat Technologies, developer of materials for perovskite solar cells, has received an undisclosed sum from NGK Insulators.

NGK Insulators, a Japanese network-attached storage (NAS) specialist, has acquired an unspecified stake in EneCoat Technologies, that develops perovskite solar cells through a wet process based on organic chemistry, a low-temperature coating process and roll-to-roll printing.

A research group, led by Prof. XIAO Zhengguo from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed large-area and efficient sky-blue perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) by blade-coating supersaturated perovskite solution.

Metal halide PeLEDs can achieve high luminance at low voltage due to their high electrical conductivity, making them ideal for the next generation of energy-saving lighting. Blue/sky-blue PeLEDs are essential for white lighting, but the EQE of blue light is relatively low since the crystallization process of such perovskite films is difficult to control, which results in poor film quality.

The European Commission has recently given the green light to an agreement to finance the NEXUS project, focused on the development of innovative processes for TANGO HJT/Perovskite technology for the production of sustainable and high-performance photovoltaic modules.

Coordinated by the University of Oxford, the NEXUS project is supported by a multidisciplinary consortium with 12 partners from 9 European countries; 5 industrial partners, including 2 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and 7 research and technology organizations.

Saule Technologies, Columbus Energy and Somfy Polska have signed a strategic cooperation agreement focused on developing innovative solutions for existing buildings and building projects under construction.

This recent agreement finalizes the understanding which the companies made in August 2021 on the occasion of launching the commercial application of Saule Technologies’ sun blinds, which are sun breakers with perovskite solar cells.