First Solar Secures Oxford PV Perovskite IP

• First Solar taps Oxford PV’s perovskite IP, opening U.S. paths to thin-film hybrids, bolstering R&D bets, Ohio pilot, and 18 GW capacity ambitions while preserving domestic manufacturing flexibility.

First Solar signed a non-exclusive patent license with Oxford PV to use its perovskite IP for U.S. utility-scale, commercial and industrial, and residential PV products. The scope covers Oxford PV’s issued and pending patents tied to perovskite materials and excludes crystalline silicon patents, enabling First Solar to explore perovskite-enabled devices.

Framed by CEO Mark Widmar as pursuing “viable pathways” to thin film–perovskite products, the move hedges First Solar’s cadmium telluride roadmap and preserves U.S. manufacturing optionality. The company cites $2 billion in thin-film R&D, a perovskite development line in Ohio, and a goal of 18 GW U.S. capacity by 2027.

How does First Solar’s Oxford PV license reshape its perovskite-thin film roadmap and manufacturing?

• Clears freedom-to-operate for perovskite-enabled thin films in the U.S., letting First Solar advance tandem and all-thin-film concepts without IP overhang.
  
• Shifts the technology roadmap from single-junction CdTe-only gains toward tandem architectures (perovskite-on-CdTe, perovskite-on-perovskite) to unlock higher module efficiencies and energy yield.
  
• Creates a parallel path: continue incremental CdTe improvements while maturing perovskite stacks, reducing risk of a single-technology bet.
  
• Pulls forward bankability efforts for perovskite layers—accelerated lifetime testing, damp heat/UV protocols, and third‑party validation—to meet utility procurement standards.
  
• Triggers factory retooling plans: new coating/deposition tools for perovskite layers, in‑line thermal processing, solvent management, and expanded optical/electrical metrology.
  
• Requires re-qualification of the module stack (encapsulants, edge seals, barrier films) to handle halides and maintain long‑term stability.
  
• Expands supplier engagement for perovskite precursors, solvents, transparent contacts, and moisture/oxygen barriers, fostering a U.S.-anchored materials chain.
  
• Enables staged scale-up: pilot tandems on existing thin‑film lines, then selective conversion of production bays once yield and uptime targets are met.
  
• Alters cost roadmap: higher near-term capex/opex for added layers and QA, offset longer term by efficiency-driven BOS savings and fewer modules per MW.
  
• Opens product segmentation options—premium-efficiency tandems for space‑constrained C&I/rooftop; ruggedized single‑junction thin film for harsh-heat utility sites—optimizing margin mix.
  
• Strengthens domestic manufacturing positioning for policy incentives by keeping high-value process steps onshore.
  
• Spurs new reliability IP and know‑how around perovskite/CdTe interfaces, diffusion barriers, and recombination management—raising competitive moat.
  
• Encourages collaborations with equipment makers for high-throughput, roll-to-roll–like perovskite deposition compatible with First Solar’s throughput.
  
• Sets measurable waypoints: cell‑level tandem efficiency targets, yield thresholds, degradation rates, and cost/W milestones to trigger line conversions.
• Increases optionality for future module formats (bifacial/thin glass), leveraging perovskite tunability for spectrum splitting and better temperature coefficients.