SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. announced that it has decided at the meeting of its board of directors held on December 26, 2024, to begin mass production of Perovskite Solar Cells. SEKISUI CHEMICAL has been working to develop and establish mass production technology for lightweight and flexible perovskite solar cells utilizing the Green Innovation Fund, aiming to commercialize the technology in 2025. Although the company has established a certain level of technology and plans to commercialize the product in 2025 by manufacturing at its existing facilities, expanding production capacity and reducing manufacturing costs were the issue.

On December 25, 2024, SEKISUI CHEMICAL was selected for the GX Supply Chain Construction Support Project by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The company would like to play a central role in realizing the government's goal of establishing a gigawatt (GW) level supply system by 2030, and has therefore decided to make a capital investment with the aim of starting operation of a 100 MW manufacturing line in 2027. SEKISUI CHEMICAL will continue to invest in the construction of a GW-level production line by 2030, with an eye toward overseas expansion, as it continues to capture demand and gradually increase its investment.

SEKISUI CHEMICAL will take over the buildings as well as power supply, cooling, and other facilities of the main factory of SHARP CORPORATION in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, and install perovskite solar cell manufacturing facilities to carry out manufacture and sales. To begin mass production, a new company (SEKISUI SOLAR FILM CO., LTD.) will be established and operated for the purpose of designing, manufacturing, and selling perovskite solar cells. SEKISUI SOLAR FILM CO., LTD. will initially focus on introducing the product on low load-bearing roofs and in the public sector (such as gymnasiums that serve as evacuation centers during disasters) by taking advantage of the product's lightweight and flexible characteristics.

It will then aim to expand the business by reducing costs through mass production and creating demand by targeting roofs and exterior walls of private-sector buildings such as factories and warehouses. SEKISUI CHEMICAL and SHARP CORPORATION entered into a basic agreement regarding a building purchase agreement. SEKISUI CHEMICAL and the Development Bank of Japan Inc. have also entered into a shareholders agreement regarding the joint operation of the company to be established.

Department in charge of the business: Name - SEKISUI SOLAR FILM CO., LTD.; Location - 2-4-4 Nishitemma, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan; Main businesses - Product design, manufacture, and sales of perovskite solar cells; Capital - JPY 100 million; Shareholders - SEKISUI CHEMICAL 86%, Development Bank of Japan 14%; Date of establishment - January 6, 2025 (planned).