{"id":101634,"date":"2026-02-25T02:53:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T05:53:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tech.einnews.com\/article\/895329784"},"modified":"2026-02-25T02:53:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T05:53:13","slug":"first-solar-locks-in-key-perovskite-tech-with-a-new-oxford-pv-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/02\/25\/first-solar-locks-in-key-perovskite-tech-with-a-new-oxford-pv-deal\/","title":{"rendered":"First Solar locks in key perovskite tech with a new Oxford PV deal"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"First
Photo: First Solar <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

US solar giant First Solar signed a patent licensing agreement with the UK\u2019s Oxford PV, a University of Oxford spin\u2011off, giving it access to issued and pending patents covering perovskite materials, one of the most important next\u2011gen solar technologies.<\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

The non\u2011exclusive deal allows First Solar to continue developing photovoltaic devices that use a perovskite semiconductor. It covers potential manufacturing and distribution in the US and excludes crystalline silicon semiconductors. Financial terms weren\u2019t disclosed.<\/p>\n

Why this deal matters<\/h2>\n

First Solar is the largest solar manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere and the world\u2019s biggest producer of thin\u2011film modules. It has been working on ways to combine its thin\u2011film expertise with perovskite materials, which many researchers see as the next major leap in solar efficiency.<\/p>\n

CEO Mark Widmar said the agreement allows First Solar to keep pursuing \u201cviable pathways\u201d to manufacturing and commercializing thin\u2011film perovskite products for utility\u2011scale, commercial, industrial, and residential markets. He said the company believes it\u2019s making progress toward an efficient, stable, and manufacturable perovskite device.<\/p>\n

\tAdvertisement – scroll for more content<\/span> <\/p>\n

First Solar\u2019s perovskite push<\/h2>\n

First Solar has spent more than $2 billion on thin\u2011film research and development, including work on perovskites. At its Perrysburg, Ohio, campus, it operates a development line producing small modules that use a perovskite semiconductor. The company says that line has already helped it meet early internal targets for efficiency, stability, and manufacturability.<\/p>\n

Who Oxford PV is<\/h2>\n

Yarnton, England\u2011based Oxford PV specializes in perovskite solar tech and says it holds the strongest global patent portfolio in the field. It manufactures perovskite\u2011on\u2011silicon tandem cells and modules in Brandenburg, Germany, and plans to scale to high\u2011volume production as part of its growth strategy.<\/p>\n

Oxford PV CEO David Ward said, \u201cStrong intellectual property frameworks are essential to supporting innovation at scale across the solar industry. We welcome First Solar\u2019s ongoing commitment to a perovskite\u2011based PV future.\u201d<\/p>\n

First Solar\u2019s US manufacturing buildout<\/h2>\n

First Solar has manufactured in the US since 2002. It runs five factories across Alabama, Louisiana, and Ohio and is building a sixth plant in South Carolina scheduled to begin operating in the second half of 2026.<\/p>\n

That facility is expected to add 3.7 gigawatts of annual capacity, bringing First Solar\u2019s total nameplate capacity to about 18 GW in 2027. Since 2019, the company says it has invested roughly $4.5 billion in US manufacturing and R&D.<\/p>\n

Electrek\u2019s Take<\/h2>\n

Perovskites have been hyped for more than a decade as the future of solar, but the real hurdles have always been durability and scaling production.<\/p>\n

First Solar is already the only major US thin\u2011film manufacturer and has leaned hard into domestic production. If it can successfully integrate perovskites into its roadmap, it could unlock higher efficiencies without depending on traditional crystalline silicon supply chains.<\/p>\n

This agreement signals that First Solar sees perovskites not as a side experiment, but as a core part of its long\u2011term strategy.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong> Oxford sets a new world record for solar panel efficiency<\/a><\/p>\n

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