The solar super-panel claims to be more powerful than 20 nuclear reactors
The PSCs are part of Japan’s revised energy plan
The strategy was designed to align with the country’s net zero emissions 2050 targets
The PSCs are part of Japan’s revised energy plan – Source: Sekisui Chemical Co
The Japanese government has unveiled the world’s first ‘solar super-panel’, a technology that is more powerful than 20 nuclear reactors and which manufacturers say will make it easier to generate solar energy in big cities.
Built by Sekisui Chemical Co and unveiled at the Japan Energy Summit and Exhibition earlier in the year, the solar panels will use perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and be able to provide “a more viable means to produce energy” in areas with not a lot of space.
PSCs are more efficient than traditional photovoltaic (PV) cells and cheaper to manufacture. However, there are concerns that their output declines more rapidly than PV cells, something which has held them back commercially.
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The PSCs are part of Japan’s revised energy plan, which involves having renewables account for at least 36% of all energy consumption by 2030. The Ministry of Industry wants to generate 20 gigawatts of electricity, the equivalent to 20 nuclear reactors through PSCs alone by 2040.
The strategy is part of the country’s longer term plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Sekisui Chemical Co. is now developing advanced PSC modules and plans to introduce them to the market in the 2030s.
The PCSs can easily fit into urban environments because they are light, flexible and can be installed on walls of buildings and windows, on car roofs and on streetlights.
How has Japan’s solar energy market changed?
Since the 1990s Japan’s solar energy output has been increasing, but the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster accelerated its growth. Solar energy now accounts for almost 10% of Japan’s total energy production, up from 0.3% in 2010.
The government is aiming for renewables to account for at least 36% of the country’s energy consumption by 2030, and hopes PSCs will play a big part in getting there. Its strategy is helped by the fact Japan is the world’s second-largest producer iodine, which is a vital part of PSCs.
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Tamara BirchNewsletter and sponsored content editor
Tamara is a London-based journalist and has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products, to help them become more sustainable.
She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment – all while reducing monthly costs.
In addition to adopting sustainable practices in her personal life, Tamara has worked in the retail B2B space to help independent retailers think about their environmental choices and how they can help improve their business. She now uses this knowledge to help consumers do the same.
Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.
Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.
In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.
He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.
Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.
As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.
His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.
Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history and ghost stories. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.
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