– Satoro to provide “Satellite-as-a-service” solution; Flexell Space to supply solar cells and test modules Uiwang-si, Korea – Flexell Space, a space energy company led by CEO Taehun Ahn, announced that it has signed an agreement with Singapore-based CubeSat specialist Satoro, led by CEO Mark Lu, for the in-orbit demonstration and validation (IOD/IOV) of next-generation space solar cells. The agreement aims to verify the performance and reliability of Flexell Space’s solar cells in the actual space environment. The companies plan to conduct two demonstration missions, one in 2027 and another in 2028. Each demonstration satellite is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Flexell Space previously conducted two space demonstration missions through launches aboard Korea’s KSLV-II, in November 2025 and October 2026. Building on this experience, the agreement with Satoro will expand opportunities for in-orbit validation of its next-generation space solar cells and support the continued accumulation of operational data needed for commercialization. Under the agreement, Satoro will manufacture the satellites for the demonstration missions, while Flexell Space will supply the solar cells and test modules to be integrated into them. The companies will coordinate technical requirements for the CubeSat platforms and demonstration payloads, working together to evaluate...

– Satoro to provide “Satellite-as-a-service” solution; Flexell Space to supply solar cells and test modules Uiwang-si, Korea – Flexell Space, a space energy company led by CEO Taehun Ahn, announced that it has signed an agreement with Singapore-based CubeSat specialist Satoro, led by CEO Mark Lu, for the in-orbit demonstration and validation (IOD/IOV) of next-generation space solar cells. The agreement aims to verify the performance and reliability of Flexell Space’s solar cells in the actual space environment. The companies plan to conduct two demonstration missions, one in 2027 and another in 2028. Each demonstration satellite is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Flexell Space previously conducted two space demonstration missions through launches aboard Korea’s KSLV-II, in November 2025 and October 2026. Building on this experience, the agreement with Satoro will expand opportunities for in-orbit validation of its next-generation space solar cells and support the continued accumulation of operational data needed for commercialization. Under the agreement, Satoro will manufacture the satellites for the demonstration missions, while Flexell Space will supply the solar cells and test modules to be integrated into them. The companies will coordinate technical requirements for the CubeSat platforms and demonstration payloads, working together to evaluate...

For device fabrication, the S-heterocyclic PDIs were dissolved in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) solvent to ensure proper solubility as they exhibit poor solubility in methanol. The reason for choosing TFE as solvent is that we drew inspiration from proteins, which exhibit an amphiphilic structure with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, a property similarly shared by interlayer materials. This similarity led us to hypothesize that TFE, a solvent effective in dissolving proteins, might also dissolve interlayers. As expected, S-heterocyclic PDIs readily dissolved in TFE (denoted as Method I, Fig. 2a), allowing for the formation of uniform thin films on the active layer. We attribute this to TFE’s dual nature: a hydrophobic trifluoromethyl group and a hydrophilic hydroxyl group, enabling simultaneous interaction with the hydrophobic PDI core and hydrophilic amine groups, effectively solvating and enhancing solubility. Although the formation of uniform thin films on the active layer with Method I, the initial performance of devices fabricated using this approach on the PM6: BTP-eC9 based active layer was not optimal. Modest PCEs of 14.78%, 14.98% and 14.59% were recorded for PDINN, PDISNN and PDI2SNN interlayers, respectively (Table 1). These low PCEs were primarily attributed to low open-circuit voltage (VOC) values of 0.81 V and fill...

Green, M. A. et al. Solar cell efficiency tables (version 66). Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 33, 795–810 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3919 (2025). Xiong, Z. et al. Homogenized chlorine distribution for >27% power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells. Science 390, 638–642 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adw878 (2025). Teale, S., Degani, M., Chen, B., Sargent, E. H. & Grancini, G. Molecular cation and low-dimensional perovskite surface passivation in perovskite solar cells. Nat. Energy 9, 779–792 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-024-01529-3 (2024). Jiang, Q. & Zhu, K. Rapid advances enabling high-performance inverted perovskite solar cells. Nat. Rev. Mater. 9, 399–419 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-024-00678-x (2024). Al-Ashouri, A. et al. Monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell with >29% efficiency by enhanced hole extraction. Science 370, 1300–1309 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abd4016 (2020). Tan, Q. et al. Inverted perovskite solar cells using dimethylacridine-based dopants. Nature 620, 545–551 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06207-0 (2023). Jia, L. et al. Efficient perovskite/silicon tandem with asymmetric self-assembly molecule. Nature 644, 912–919 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09333-z (2025). Liu, C. et al. Bimolecularly passivated interface enables efficient and stable inverted perovskite solar cells. Science 382, 810–815 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adk1633 (2023). Chen, H. et al. Regulating surface potential maximizes voltage in all-perovskite tandems. Nature 613, 676–681 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05541-z (2023). Liu, J. et al. Perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells with bilayer interface passivation. Nature 635, 596–603 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07997-7 (2024). Chen, P. et al...

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Vadodara-based Kredence Electronics Materials is expanding its high-purity chemical manufacturing capabilities with a new hydrogen peroxide purification facility with an annual capacity of approximately 40,000 metric tons. The project marks a significant step in the company’s efforts to strengthen the domestic supply chain for electronic-grade chemicals serving India’s rapidly expanding solar-cell manufacturing industry and emerging semiconductor ecosystem. India’s solar cell capacity is slated to rise from about 35 GW currently to 100 GW by 2027-28. Over the last 11 years, Kredence has developed its business around high-purity chemicals, supply-chain management and technical support for electronics manufacturing. What began with a focus on the Indian solar industry has gradually evolved into a broader platform covering specialised wet chemicals, inventory management, application support and technology-led products. As solar-cell manufacturing capacity expands in India, demand for electronic-grade hydrogen peroxide is also expected to rise alongside. At the same time, semiconductor manufacturing in the country is creating demand for chemicals requiring substantially tighter contamination control and analytical standards. Bharat Bhatnagar, Managing Director, Kredence stresses that “India’s renewable energy and semiconductor ecosystem is entering a transformative phase. At Kredence, our focus is to build reliable, high-quality electronic-grade chemical solutions with strong local manufacturing, technology partnerships...

Websol Energy System Limited has secured land from the West Bengal government, which has allotted approximately 54.20 acres to the company at Falta Industrial Park.

Newswise — One drawback of most solar cells made with efficiency-boosting perovskite is the presence of hazardous lead in the materials that turn sunlight into electricity. Next-generation solar cells made with the most promising, lead-free replacement — non-toxic tin perovskite — have had their own major weakness: they don’t hold up against the elements. Now, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the National Laboratory of the Rockies and other collaborating institutions have designed a new tin-based perovskite with built-in protection against air and moisture. It’s a coating that gives the solar cells protection like a raincoat. The advance, published recently in the journal Nature Materials, addresses one of the biggest challenges facing tin-based perovskite solar cells by making them more durable for practical use while also enhancing performance. The researchers’ solar cells reached 16.2% efficiency — among the state-of-the-art for tin perovskite cells — and remained remarkably stable during extended testing. “Tin perovskites are very promising materials for solar energy, but they are extremely sensitive to air and moisture,” says Song Jin, a UW–Madison professor of Chemistry and a corresponding author of the study. “We wanted to find a way to protect these materials while preserving the properties that make...

Under the ocean, things aren't quite so bright. Much of the Sun's rays bounce right off the ocean's surface, and the ones that do penetrate the water are absorbed and scattered over much shorter distances than they are in air. That's why, the deeper you get, the darker it is. As such, 32 feet (10 meters) underwater is a pretty unexpected place to put solar panels, of all things. And yet, a team of scientists from Yunnan University in China has done just that. Their submarine solar cells, mounted 10 meters (32 feet) below the surface of the South China Sea, were able to collect enough energy to charge lithium-ion batteries in just two hours. "Very few studies have been reported on underwater solar cells, and all of them are focused on very shallow water depths of only two meters or less, a scenario far from catering for requirements of practical application," says Wen-Hua Zhang, of Yunnan University. "This work presents the first functional validation of submerged solar cells practically operating at a water depth of up to about 10 meters, greatly broadening their application scope." They estimate the solar cells could operate for around five and a half years...

Researchers at Yunnan University and Southwest United Graduate School have demonstrated functional underwater solar cells operating at a depth of 10 meters (33 feet) in the South China Sea. The achievement smashes previous limits. Earlier attempts to harvest solar energy underwater stalled out in shallow waters under two meters deep, where sunlight is still plentiful but practical applications are scarce. Combined with an estimated continuous operational lifespan of roughly 5.5 years, this technology could ultimately offer a reliable, long-term power source for remote oceanic systems. The study shows that submerged photovoltaics can provide a viable power source for underwater sensors, cameras, and communication systems in the future. “Very few studies have been reported on underwater solar cells, and all of them are focused on very shallow water depths of only two meters or less, a scenario far from catering for requirements of practical application,” said Wen-Hua Zhang, the study author. “This work presents the first functional validation of submerged solar cells practically operating at a water depth of up to about 10 meters, greatly broadening their application scope,” Zhang added. Bandgap optimization Standard commercial silicon solar cells are designed to capture broad terrestrial sunlight, particularly red/infrared rays. Underwater, silicon cells...

Solarworld Energy has entered into a JV with Rays Power to establish, develop, construct, commission, and operate a 2.4 GW solar cell manufacturing facility.