Skanska and Salute Launch ‘First’ Perovskite Solar Cells to Office Building

Saule Technologies will be the technology provider. The initial implementation tests are planned for 2018 in Poland.

Multinational building firm Skanska Group says its commercial development business unit in Central Eastern Europe will be the first developer to cover office buildings with semi-transparent perovskite solar cells on a commercial scale.

Saule Technologies will be the technology provider. The initial implementation tests are planned for 2018 in Poland.

Energy independent office projects are now becoming a reality thanks to perovskite technology which is ready to be integrated into building façades. Skanska will apply the test-cells onto its projects in 2018, creating a significant milestone towards zero-energy and carbon neutral office investments.

The developer has exclusive rights to use Saule Technologies’ solar cell solutions, as stated in a license-based agreement signed between the companies, in building façades and noise barriers across all Skanska markets worldwide.

Skanska remarked, “Perovskite technology means benefits for the developer, tenants and communities – favorable implementation costs, lower energy costs and consumption, and lower carbon footprints. Saule Technologies has been working on the application of ink-jet printing for fabricating free-form perovskite solar modules since 2014.”

This technique allows the shapes and areas covered by each layer to be customized according to requirements. The stability and water resistance of the modules makes them ideal for the construction industry.

The company has conducted advanced research on the technology with leading international universities in the UK, Israel, Germany, Italy and Spain. With a Japanese investor on board, along with support from several research grants worth more than EUR 20 million, Saule Technologies is now working on a large-scale, prototype production line.

Source: PR Newswire