Nature recently published a breakthrough from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Its perovskite–organic tandem solar cells have achieved a certified steady-state efficiency of 28.04% — a new world record for this type of cell.

A long-standing bottleneck for such devices is halide phase segregation, which causes voltage decay and performance degradation over their lifetime. The team proposed a “full-stage regulation” strategy that acts as a microscopic coordinator to suppress detrimental segregation during both material preparation and device operation.

With this technological breakthrough, photovoltaic manufacturing and form factors are set to expand. These cells are compatible with roll-to-roll printing and slot-die coating, enabling continuous production. Solar cells may soon go beyond rigid panels on roofs or the ground—they could become lightweight, flexible, energy-generating materials that integrate with various surfaces. “Printing cells like newspapers” is no longer science fiction, opening up vast new application possibilities for the photovoltaic industry.