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The Japanese government is planning to generate some 20 gigawatts of electricity, equivalent to the output of 20 nuclear reactors, through thin and bendable perovskite solar cells in fiscal 2040.
The industry ministry plans to designate next-generation solar cells as the key to expanding renewables to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 when it reveals a draft of the country's revised energy plan in December, according to industry ministry officials.
Since Japan has the second largest share after Chile in the global production of iodine, the primary material for producing perovskite solar cells, it can build an independent supply chain for a stable supply that should help improve its economic security.
Solar panels have quickly spread throughout Japan after the 2011 nuclear disaster triggered by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the country's power generation in the fiscal year through April 2024.
However, there is only so much space left in Japan to house large conventional silicon-based solar cells.
As perovskite solar cells are light and resilient to bending or distortion, they can be placed on building walls, windows, and car roofs, among other places.
While companies such as Sekisui Chemical Co have been working on commercializing perovskite solar cells, the full-fledged introduction of the technology is not expected until the 2030s as there are a number of challenges that still need to be overcome such as its short lifespan due to poor cell durability and cost reductions.
Japan's share of global solar panel production has declined to less than 1 percent from around 50 percent in 2004, overwhelmed by Chinese makers producing solar panels supported by massive state subsidies.
The Japanese government seeks to export perovskite solar cells in the future after fostering the technology as a major domestic renewable energy.
© KYODO
13 Comments
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divinda
Rather than providing massive state subsidies to actual solar cell production, Japan instead gives massive state subsidies to the purchase and installation of solar cells to both homes and power plants.
And being that these solar cells being installed are mostly made in China, the Japanese government is essentially giving this taxpayer money to Chinese companies... so these companies are being subsidized on both ends!
Sh1mon M4sada
Japan as the world's biggest creditor nation is in pole position to lead the current infrastructure deficit throughout Japan and the rest of the world.
Supply chain realignment, global climate initiatives, AI and semiconductors, critical minerals...all need massive amount of capital, and any country that can't afford to participate will be left in the dust.
I wouldn't want to be a citizen in the EU, South America, or Africa...
IMHO, North America, Asia and the Middle East (having access to cheap capital) are going to reshape the whole globe.
didou
How can Japan give subsidies for installation in China ?
Your talk does not make sense at all. Please elaborate and give factual data
AustPaul
This technology looks very interesting and may be a real game changer.
With all our space in Australia hopefully we could invest in these panels too.
divinda
Huh? Installation in China?? I'm talking about installed in Japan. Please re-read my post.
Again, if someone wants to install solar cells in Japan, they can easily get a subsidy from the government to help pay for it.
Those solar cells being installed are mostly made in China.
So the subsidy money from the Japanese government is given to Japanese consumers and power plants so they can go buy a product made in China.
Massive Japanese solar subsidies have been given out ever since the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Look it up.
Newgirlintown
The fossil fuel companies won’t like that. How long before they start spreading rumors about this?
Some dude
The fossil fuel companies won’t like that. How long before they start spreading rumors about this?
Through a talento with a squeaky voice, I would guess.
Sven Asai
Net-zero emissions? Alone the production, transport into every corner and the necessary replacements due still shorter lifespan creates an emission above zero, probably very much above zero when considering the huge scale of 20 nuclear reactors equivalent size. And of course the knockout question, can the panels bear babies so that someone remains left to use them?
kohakuebisu
Until it is commercialized, this is vaporware. It's better to use existing panels now than vaporware in 2040. Research away by all means, but we need action now, fifteen years before 2040.
HopeSpringsEternal
Good idea to increase energy self-reliance and protect the environment with an exciting new tech. and economic catalyst!
fallaffel
Forest growth can offset some CO2 emissions, so it's still feasible to reach net zero emissions. It's much better than importing fossil fuels from abroad and burning them, don't you think?
I don't understand your point about the babies thing.
Bad Haircut
It's a pretty pipedream. Only nukes, fossil fuels and hydro (when there's a reliable water supply) can produce the constant baseload power an industrial society needs to function. Solar and wind are good as components of the energy supply, but not as the backbone.
kurisupisu
I use solar for all my chargeable appliances.
Imagine solar not just on a roof but covering the whole building-that is the future with perovskite solar cells .
DanteKH
The problem with those, as clearly the article mentioned, is the very short life span of those. One alos have to remember that you also need very big and expensive betteries, if you want to store the energy during the night, which also have short life span. Unless those are properly insured, and replaced for 95% of their cost, it is not very viable solution at the moment...