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Climate Confident - Practical Climate Solutions That Cut Emissions

Perovskite Solar at 30% Efficiency: More Power From Less Land

December 03, 2025 • Tom Raftery • Season 1 • Episode 249

0:00 | 35:19

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What happens when solar stops being just “cheap” and becomes game-changingly efficient as well, pushing past 30% and reshaping global power economics?

In this episode, I sit down with Aaron Thurlow, a 25-year solar veteran and commercial lead at Caelux, to unpack how perovskite-silicon tandem modules could transform not just clean energy - but the resilience, cost base, and strategic footing of every organisation betting on electrification. With AI, manufacturing, and data centres driving power demand through the roof, the timing couldn’t be more critical.

You’ll hear how silicon, after 50 years of slow gains, is suddenly getting a step-change boost - not from exotic space tech, but from a thin layer of perovskites that can add 5–6 efficiency points in a single leap. We break down why this matters for utility-scale projects, residential economics, and global supply chain risk as manufacturing begins to regionalise.

You might be surprised to learn how close this is to reality: Caelux has already shipped its first commercial product, with more deployments planned in 2026. And Aaron explains why this shift could help companies bridge policy uncertainty, lower project costs, and even change the global balance of energy independence.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Caelux is redefining the future of efficient, resilient, sustainable energy systems — and why it matters for your supply chain.

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