Heliene Starts US Production of Caelux Perovskite-Silicon Modules

• Heliene has begun commercial-scale production of Caelux's Hybrid-Tandem module, with up to 27%+ efficiency, at its Mountain Iron, Minnesota plant.
• The module puts Caelux's perovskite glass over N-type silicon cells on Heliene's existing lines, under a multi-year, multi-gigawatt agreement.
• Deliveries are offered from 2027, and the companies target module efficiency above 29% by 2028.

Heliene Inc. has started commercial-scale production of a perovskite-silicon solar module at its plant in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, the company and Caelux Corp. said on Nov. 10. The partners put the Hybrid-Tandem module's conversion efficiency at up to 27%+, a company-reported figure. They cited no independent certification.

The work is split between the two. Caelux, based in Baldwin Park, California, supplies its Energy Producing Glass, a front glass that carries a perovskite layer and generates power itself. Heliene builds it over N-type silicon cells on its existing US module lines, so each panel has two power-generating layers. The module can produce up to 20% more energy than a conventional N-type module, the companies said in a statement.

The two signed a multi-year, multi-gigawatt agreement but gave no volume, price or buyer. An initial industrial-scale commercial order is underway. Modules are available for deliveries in 2027.

The module in numbers

• 27%+: the companies' top module efficiency claim, against 22.64% that Heliene lists for its 144-cell N-type bifacial module.
• 4.4 percentage points, or about 19% more power from the same module area, if both figures hold (list.solar calculation).
• 29%+: the module efficiency Heliene and Caelux target by 2028.
• 1.3 GW a year: combined output capacity of Heliene's two US module plants.
• 500+ full-time staff work at those plants and Heliene's office in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
• 19 GW: Caelux's contracted volume with module makers after a deal for up to 4 GW with India's GREW Solar in September.
• 25 GW+: the same total after a 3-GW agreement with INA Solar in October.

Both Indian partners plan to pair the glass with N-type TOPCon cells, and INA Solar targets up to 29% module efficiency by 2028. Lab cells already go much further. A LONGi and Soochow University perovskite-silicon tandem cell reached 35.1% certified efficiency, a cell result rather than a full module. More on next-generation cells is on the list.solar technology page.

"One of the advantages of Caelux's technology is that we can integrate its Energy Producing Glass into our existing manufacturing lines without having to build an entirely new production setup," Heliene Chief Executive Officer Martin Pochtaruk said.

Heliene will show the module at its booth at RE+ in Las Vegas on Nov. 17-19.