Circular economy for perovskite solar cells – drivers, progress and challenges

Abstract

Lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are an emerging solar photovoltaic (PV) technology on the cusp of commercialisation, promising to deliver the lowest cost solar energy to date (<32 $ per MW h). Owing to the required scale of PV deployment to mitigate climate change, potential limits to deployment due to materials criticality issues, and the necessity to prevent impacts from PV waste, adoption of circular economy is essential for perovskite technologies. Here we examine 3 key themes to inform future development towards commercialisation: legislative and economic drivers for adoption of circular economy by the emerging perovskite PV industry; environmental and future materials supply issues; and current state of research which may enable remanufacturing and recycling strategies to facilitate circular utilisation of key materials in successive product generations.