Qcells Wins IEC, UL Nod for Breakthrough Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Cells

• Hanwha Qcells’ large-area perovskite-silicon tandem cell secures IEC and UL certifications, clearing a key hurdle toward commercial rollout of next-generation high-efficiency solar modules.

Hanwha Qcells has cleared a pivotal hurdle in the race to commercialise perovskite-silicon tandem technology, announcing that its latest large-area cell has earned seal-of-approval certifications from both the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL). The twin endorsements validate not only performance claims but also long-term durability—two benchmarks investors and project developers insist on before backing new photovoltaic chemistries.

The certified device is an M10-format tandem cell (330.56 cm²) that stacks a thin perovskite layer atop the company’s proprietary crystalline-silicon base. By splitting the solar spectrum—perovskite harvesting high-energy blue photons, silicon capturing the lower-energy red—the architecture promises conversion efficiencies north of 30 %, well beyond what single-junction silicon can reach. Fraunhofer ISE independently verified the cell’s laboratory efficiency late last year; the fresh IEC 61215 and UL 61730 certificates now confirm the design can survive the brutal cycle of UV bombardment, temperature swings and humidity that ruin lesser prototypes.

To pass, modules built with the tandem cells weathered extended damp-heat exposure, thermal cycling, mechanical loading and potential-induced degradation tests. “Certification translates our R&D success into a bankable product roadmap,” said a Qcells spokesperson, adding that the company’s U.S. unit led the submission to signal intent for mass production at its expanding manufacturing campus in Georgia.

Industry watchers say the milestone positions Qcells at the front of a crowded field vying to push tandem technology from pilot lines to gigawatt scale. Rival initiatives from Oxford PV, Huasun and a consortium led by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory are all chasing similar targets, but few have yet produced full-size modules that satisfy safety agencies on two continents.

Commercial modules based on the certified cell are expected to roll off the line later this year, aimed initially at residential and commercial rooftops where higher efficiency commands a premium. If field data confirm laboratory gains, the technology could ripple quickly into utility-scale arrays, cutting land use per megawatt and accelerating the solar sector’s march toward terawatt deployment.

For now, Qcells’ dual certification underscores that perovskite-silicon tandems are no longer an exotic lab curiosity—they are edging into the mainstream market, one test chamber at a time.