Achieving SDGs with Perovskite Solar Technology

Perovskite: A Path to Sustainable Goals

Solaires Team | Victoria, B.C | September 26th, 2024

In the face of escalating environmental, economic, and societal dilemmas, harnessing renewable energy surfaces as a critical strategy to support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Solar energy has immense potential to positively contribute to SDGs, particularly as next-generation technologies like perovskites continue to advance and mature. Perovskite technology promises affordable clean energy, reduces carbon emissions, creates employment opportunities, and fosters the development of more sustainable cities. At Solaires, we are at the forefront of perovskite solar technology. This new technology has the potential to change how the world generates solar energy. Let’s explore how our efforts contribute to several critical SDGs, paving the way for a more sustainable and equitable future.

Solar Energy and Affordable, Clean Energy for All (SDG 7)

SDG 7 strives for everyone, everywhere, to have access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy by 2030. Achieving this target is essential to tackling critical global challenges, including climate change, poverty reduction, and economic development.  People who spend 10% or more of their income on energy per year are considered to be in energy poverty. According to a study by Min et al. (2024) , at least 1.18 billion people are energy poor. Meaning that roughly 12% of the world suffers from energy poverty. Solar energy is a central solution to this challenge, and Solaires is advancing this vision by focusing on cutting-edge perovskite solar cell technology. Perovskite solar cells offer the potential to revolutionize this sector by providing a cost-effective, lightweight, and highly efficient alternative to traditional photovoltaic systems.

Schematic diagram showing the percentage of people with energy access in each country. Attribution: UNDP, 2020.

Our work is directly aligned with SDG 7’s objectives, specifically targeting “enhancing access to affordable and reliable energy services” (target 7.1), “renewable energy share of global energy in the global mix”  (target 7.2), and “improvements in energy efficiency” (target 7.3). Our goal is to develop more affordable and sustainable solar energy solutions that can be widely adopted by diverse populations, regardless of regional development.

By harnessing perovskite technology, we at Solaires are creating photovoltaic solutions that can capture both sunlight and indoor light, providing flexible energy solutions that can power everything from small-scale Internet of Things (IoT) devices to zero-emission vehicles, to large-scale solar installations. This versatility is crucial for addressing the energy needs of a rapidly changing world, especially as more devices and infrastructure require uninterrupted energy supplies to stay operational. Critically, the lightweight and flexible nature of perovskite solar opens up more diverse installation surfaces; locations like vehicles and building facades where traditional silicon is too heavy and rigid. This can lead to broader adoption of solar energy solutions in urban areas where space is limited, and in remote areas, where grid access can be inconsistent.

Widespread adoption of our technology can significantly reduce the global reliance on fossil fuels and other dirty energy sources. By developing energy solutions that are both affordable and efficient, we aim to bring modern, clean energy to populations that the global energy market has historically underserved.

Our efforts also contribute to the long-term goal of improving energy conversion efficiency and stability. Our commitment to continuous research and development aims to enhance the performance of our solar cells, ensuring that they remain competitive in the fast-evolving clean energy landscape.

SDG 7

We directly impact SDG 7 through our clean energy innovation research, product development and advocacy for renewable energy solutions. Specifically, we aim to advance access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services (target 7.1), increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy (target 7.2), and significantly improve energy efficiency rates (target 7.3).

SDG 8

We are dedicated to driving economic growth and mobility by creating new highly qualified jobs in research, development, marketing, and manufacturing. We hire the best and brightest from around the world, with a special focus on jump starting the careers of recent university graduates. We work closely with universities worldwide to develop new technologies and develop the next generation of an innovative global workforce.

SDG 11

By 2050, 70 percent of the world’s population will live in cities, making cities critical in achieving a sustainable future for the world. Our product will revolutionize the way energy is converted into electricity, thereby increasing the capacity for sustainable urban development (target 11.3) and reducing the adverse environmental impact of cities (target 11.6).

SDG 12

Our line of PVModules and PVFilms are designed from their inception to be recyclable, allowing our products and all the products that succeed ours, to avoid wasting materials and space in overcrowded landfills.

SDG 13

Reversing the climate crisis requires reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere. We are taking climate action through our perovskite technology that has significantly lower lifecycle emissions compared to fossil fuels, designing our product to reduce resource intensity and raising awareness and capacity for climate change mitigation and adaptation (target 13.3).

Solar Power as a Driver of Job Creation and Economic Growth (SDG 8)

While our primary focus is on achieving energy-related targets, our R&D focus creates new, and highly skilled, job opportunities within the clean technology sector, supporting SDG 8 by fostering innovation and employment in sustainable industries.

SDG 8 fosters sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and creates productive employment. The renewable energy sector is one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide, and solar energy is a crucial contributor to this growth. As Solaires continues to innovate and develop perovskite solar technology, we contribute to job creation in clean energy, directly through research, development, and manufacturing roles, and indirectly through increased jobs in manufacturing and installation of our devices downstream at the facilities of our partners and customers.

We are focused on fostering innovation by supporting and tapping into a global talent pool. We regularly collaborate with academic institutions and industry partners to build a skilled workforce capable of driving clean technology advancements. Through these efforts, we are helping create sustainable, high-quality jobs that contribute to economic growth and the transition to a green economy.

Powering Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)

SDG 11 emphasizes making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. Solar power is a key contributor to this goal, offering a reliable and decentralized source of clean energy that can be seamlessly integrated into the urban environment. At Solaires, we are advancing this mission by developing lightweight, flexible perovskite solar cells uniquely suited for urban deployment.

Our perovskite technology offers the potential to reduce cities' reliance on non-renewable energy sources by enabling the widespread adoption of decentralized energy systems. Unlike traditional solar technologies, perovskite solar cells, with their lightweight nature, can be installed in various urban contexts, including buildings, roads, vehicles, and public spaces. This integration significantly enhances energy efficiency and resilience while minimizing the environmental impact of urbanization. Solaires’ core business helps meet the critical targets of SDG 11, including reducing the per capita adverse environmental impact of cities (target 11.6) and supporting integrated policies that promote climate adaptation and resource efficiency (target 11.b).

By partnering with local institutions and municipalities, Solaires works to make urban energy systems more resilient, efficient, and sustainable. This ensures that cities not only thrive today but are also better prepared to adapt to the challenges of tomorrow.

Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)

At Solaires, we believe that sustainability extends beyond just energy generation—it also involves responsible consumption and production, as emphasized in SDG 12 . One of the critical features of perovskite technology is its recyclability. From the outset, we are designing our perovskite solar modules to be easily recyclable, ensuring that components can be physically separated or recovered by solvent extraction for reuse in new panels.

This contrasts the challenges of recycling traditional silicon solar panels, where recovering valuable materials, especially the silicon wafer, is often complex and costly. Focusing on recyclability from the start, we aim to reduce solar cell production's environmental and financial costs.

By creating a codified recycling process for perovskite materials, we aim to set a new standard for responsible solar technology development, reduce waste, and contribute to a more circular economy in renewable energy.

Reducing Carbon Emissions and Combating Climate Change (SDG 13)

SDG 13 calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Solar energy is crucial in reducing carbon emissions by offering an alternative to fossil fuel-based energy generation. Perovskite solar cells, particularly, have a low carbon footprint, with up to 75 % fewer GHG emissions than traditional silicon cells! This aligns with global efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy.

Solaires is further addressing non-sustainable practices, such as the reliance on disposable batteries in IoT devices with indoor perovskite PV modules. A single perovskite PVModule can replace at least two AA batteries per year, and over the lifespan of most IoT devices and consumer electronics, it can prevent the production of 20 batteries, which would otherwise emit approximately 1.5 kilograms of CO2. This reduction in emissions is highly impactful for a one-time PVModule production cost of just 14 grams of CO2.

In alignment with targets 13.1, 13.3, and 13.b, our long-term goal is to deploy PVFilm—our lightweight, flexible module that can be integrated into urban spaces such as buildings, roads, and vehicles. This reduces the need for the ubiquitous large-scale silicon PV solar farms that require extensive land use.

The development of perovskite solar technology holds immense potential for achieving several of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. At Solaires, our focus on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability is driving progress toward affordable clean energy (SDG 7), reducing carbon emissions (SDG 13), creating jobs (SDG 8), and building more sustainable cities (SDG 11). As we continue to advance perovskite solar cells, we remain committed to responsible environmental stewardship (SDG 12), ensuring that our solutions are practical and sustainable in the long term.

Through this work, we are helping to shape a future where clean energy is accessible to all, economic growth is driven by innovation in green technology, and communities worldwide can thrive in harmony with the planet.