Key Facts
• Japan’s Ministry of Economy to support perovskite solar cell mass production.
• $1.65 billion (¥246 billion) subsidy over five years for three companies.
• Panasonic to develop glass-based solar cells for construction materials.
• Ricoh and Enecoat Technologies to focus on lightweight film-based solar cells.
• Target: 200–300 MW annual production capacity by 2030, powering 60,000 households.
• Ricoh to use inkjet printing for residential and industrial installations.
• Enecoat collaborates with Toyota for automotive and industrial applications.
• Green Innovation Fund also supports Sekisui Chemical for film-based cells.
• Japan aims for 20 GW perovskite solar capacity by 2040.
Summary
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) has announced a $1.65 billion subsidy over five years to support the mass production of next-generation perovskite solar cells. The initiative will fund Panasonic Holdings, Ricoh, and Kyoto University startup Enecoat Technologies. Panasonic will focus on glass-based solar cells for construction, while Ricoh and Enecoat will develop lightweight film-based cells. The companies aim to achieve an annual production capacity of 200–300 MW by 2030, sufficient to power 60,000 households. Ricoh plans to use inkjet printing for installations in homes and factories, while Enecoat, in collaboration with Toyota, targets automotive and industrial applications. The project leverages the Green Innovation Fund, which also supports Sekisui Chemical’s film-based solar cell development. METI’s broader goal is to introduce 20 GW of perovskite solar capacity by 2040, advancing Japan’s decarbonization efforts.
