Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells stack two light-absorbing materials to capture more of the sun’s spectrum than silicon alone. MIT Technology Review included them in its 2024 list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies after reporting laboratory efficiency above 33%. That figure describes a cell in testing—not the power, annual output, durability, or cost of a solar panel on a building.
What is a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell?
It is a solar cell that combines a perovskite absorber with a conventional silicon cell. Silicon remains the established foundation of the solar-cell market; MIT Technology Review attributed 95% of that market to silicon cells in its January 2024 feature. Perovskite is a material class that can absorb parts of the solar spectrum differently from silicon.
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In a tandem design, the layers work together to use a broader range of incoming sunlight. The aim is to turn more of that light into electricity from a cell of a given area. Whether that advantage translates into more power from a finished panel or a better-performing installation depends on factors beyond a laboratory cell-efficiency result.
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How does the tandem design work?
Sunlight contains a range of wavelengths. Silicon and perovskite absorb different portions of that spectrum, so combining them can capture light that one absorber alone would not use as effectively. The tandem arrangement is intended to increase the share of incoming sunlight converted to electrical energy.
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This is a cell-level explanation, not a guarantee of site performance. Panel construction, operating conditions, durability, and system design all matter when assessing the electricity a building’s solar installation will actually produce.
What do the reported efficiency figures mean?
MIT Technology Review’s January 2024 feature reported that perovskite-silicon tandem cells had exceeded 33% conversion efficiency in laboratory testing. It also reported that Oxford PV announced 28.6% conversion efficiency for a commercial-size perovskite-tandem cell in May 2023.
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| Reported figure | What it refers to | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| More than 33% | Laboratory conversion efficiency for perovskite-silicon tandem cells, as reported by MIT Technology Review in 2024. | Typical commercial-panel efficiency, annual energy production, or performance in a building installation. |
| 28.6% | Conversion efficiency for a commercial-size perovskite-tandem cell announced by Oxford PV in May 2023 and reported by MIT Technology Review. | Efficiency or field performance of a deployed module or complete solar system. |
Cell and module figures are not interchangeable: a module is a finished panel made up of cells. Nor does a conversion-efficiency figure by itself tell a building owner how much electricity a system will generate over a year. The reported figures are historical examples, not a current efficiency record or a product comparison.
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| Cell type | Absorber and spectrum | Evidence and practical caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional silicon | Uses silicon as the light-absorbing material. | MIT Technology Review attributed 95% of the solar-cell market to silicon in January 2024. That is the feature’s dated market-share statement, not a verified 2026 statistic. |
| Perovskite-only | Uses a perovskite absorber rather than combining it with silicon. | The feature describes perovskite’s different spectral absorption but does not provide a comparable current product, module, or field-performance figure. |
| Perovskite-silicon tandem | Stacks perovskite and silicon absorbers to use a broader range of sunlight. | The feature reported laboratory results above 33% and a 28.6% commercial-size cell announcement. It also identified durability and limited outdoor testing as unresolved concerns at publication. |
The available figures do not provide a like-for-like comparison of current commercial modules, costs, warranties, or electricity yield in the field. A higher cell-efficiency number alone is not enough to determine which technology makes sense for a specific roof or construction project.
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Are perovskite tandem panels durable?
Durability was a central challenge in MIT Technology Review’s 2024 account. It said moisture and heat can degrade perovskite material and that tandem panels had undergone limited outdoor testing at the time. Researchers were working on stronger barriers and more stable perovskite compositions, but the feature did not establish long-term field performance or a service life for commercial panels.
For a building project, this matters because a short laboratory test and a headline efficiency result cannot substitute for evidence that a finished module maintains performance through years of outdoor exposure. The feature did not provide comparable warranties, degradation rates, or measured annual yields.
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Are these panels commercially available now?
The January 19, 2024 feature said Oxford PV planned a first panel deployment and manufacturing progress during 2024, and anticipated that other companies might announce products later that year. Those statements were forecasts made at publication. They do not confirm what is available in October 2026, which markets are served, or what performance and warranty terms a buyer can obtain.
Before specifying a perovskite-tandem product for a construction project, seek current documentation for the exact module and market: independent module test data, outdoor performance evidence, warranty terms, and certification or code information relevant to the installation. The 2024 efficiency figures alone do not answer those procurement questions.
Why did MIT Technology Review call it a breakthrough?
The breakthrough claim rests on the tandem concept’s potential to produce more electricity from sunlight by combining absorbers with different spectral coverage. The feature described rapidly improving laboratory records through November 2023 and suggested that broader deployment could bring more electricity at lower cost. That is a potential benefit, not proof that installed systems already deliver lower costs or higher real-world output.
For construction and building-energy decisions, the distinction is practical: cell research can signal a promising route to higher efficiency, while a project decision requires module-level and field evidence, dependable lifetime performance, and verified product availability. MIT Technology Review’s feature provides historical context for the technology’s promise, not a current specification for a solar installation.
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