Answer
Perovskite-silicon tandem panels (silicon cells with a perovskite layer on top) are on sale in limited volumes now. Oxford PV announced its first commercial shipment on 5 September 2024. It says volume manufacturing starts in 2027. Solx builds modules with Caelux’s perovskite glass. It also expects widespread commercial volumes for the US market by 2027. No source here gives a date for residential stock at a local distributor.
Tandem modules stack a perovskite layer on silicon cells. The extra layer captures more of the sunlight spectrum. A buyer needs to know which products ship today, in what volumes and on what terms. The sections below keep laboratory records, shipped products and maker roadmaps apart. Each date comes from the maker’s own release.
Are perovskite solar panels commercially available in 2026?
In limited volumes. Three makers publish what they sell and when:
| Maker | Product | Type | Efficiency | Warranty | How it is sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford PV | Centaur 2 (B, W and T versions), 60-cell and 72-cell | Perovskite-on-silicon tandem module | 25% module efficiency on the maker’s page; the first panels shipped were 24.5% | 10-year product and performance warranty (Gen 2) | Pilot and utility customers; volume manufacturing from 2027 | On request |
| Caelux | CaeluxPrime and CaeluxOne Active Glass | Perovskite top glass that module makers build into silicon modules | Up to 3% (Prime) and up to 6% (One) absolute improvement over conventional modules | Not stated on the page | Sold to module makers; CaeluxPrime for initial customers and partners | Not published |
| Solx | Aurora hybrid-tandem module with Caelux glass | Silicon plus perovskite glass | 28% efficiency, per the 21 April 2026 release | Not stated in the release | Beta modules confirmed for a US project; widespread volumes expected by 2027 | Not published |
Every figure in the table is the maker’s own statement, and none is independently verified here. Oxford PV’s mainstream page also states that its modules “have passed all the relevant IEC tests”. IEC tests are international standard tests for solar modules. The page also says Oxford PV is working with the standards community on gaps. Caelux’s glass is not a finished panel. You buy a module from a manufacturer that has built it in.
The US Department of Energy’s perovskite overview is plain about where the technology stands. Perovskite PV is not yet manufactured at scale. Several challenges remain before it can compete in the market. Both views hold. Products ship, and volumes are small.
When did perovskite panels start to sell?
- 19 June 2024. Oxford PV reported a 26.9% efficient 60-cell residential-size module, certified by Fraunhofer CalLab (release).
- 5 September 2024. Oxford PV announced the first commercial shipment of perovskite tandem panels. They were 72-cell and 24.5% efficient. They went to a US-based customer for a utility-scale installation. It says the panels can produce up to 20% more energy than a standard silicon panel. The cells come from its megawatt-scale pilot line in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany (release).
- 8 July 2025. Caelux announced that it had completed the first commercial shipment of its Active Glass, to a US solar developer’s project (release).
- 21 April 2026. Solx and Caelux announced a five-year, 3 GW partnership, with widespread commercial volumes expected by 2027 for the US market.
- 28 July 2026. LONGi announced a 35.5% crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cell certified by ESTI. It is a laboratory cell (release).
- 26 October 2026. INA Solar and Caelux announced a five-year, 3 GW partnership, with commercial production targeting up to 29% module efficiency by 2028 (release).
- 2027 and after, as targets. Oxford PV targets volume manufacturing from 2027, with module efficiency of 27% in 2027 and 30% by 2030.
When will perovskite panels be available for homes?
No source read for this update gives a retail date. Oxford PV lists residential among the uses for its tandem modules. Its September 2024 release says it plans to send production to more utility customers, specialty products and pilot residential applications. After that it plans to scale to gigawatt volume at a future high-volume site. Its mainstream page says it is already working with customers who want first access for pilot projects.
For a home project, ask an installer whether a specific tandem model can be supplied to your address. Ask for a quote and a warranty document. Compare it with the silicon modules in our solar panel efficiency ranking. See the solar cell efficiency records timeline for how record cells compare with shipping products. Price expectations are covered in the solar module price forecast.
Cell records and module ratings are different numbers
LONGi’s 35.5% is a cell. Oxford PV’s 26.9% is a 60-cell module with a designated area just over 1.6 m². The first panels Oxford PV shipped were 24.5% efficient. Its current Centaur 2 page says 25%. A perovskite solar cell record tells you what the chemistry can do under test conditions. The module rating tells you what a roof will get.
For any claimed efficiency, record whether it is a cell or a module. Record the measured area, the testing body and the date. Also record whether it is a shipping product or a target.
Worked example: what two efficiencies mean for rated power
Take two hypothetical 2 m² modules rated at 22% and 25%. Both use the 1,000 W/m² reference irradiance (the standard test sunlight level).
- 2 × 1,000 × 0.22 = 440 W.
- 2 × 1,000 × 0.25 = 500 W.
- Difference: (500 - 440) ÷ 440 = 60 ÷ 440 = 13.64% more rated power.
This is not 13.64% more annual energy. It does not describe any named product. Annual energy also depends on sunlight, temperature, shade, wiring and conversion losses. An AC or export limit can cap the value of extra DC power.
How reliable are perovskite panels, and what does the warranty cover?
The US Department of Energy lists stability and durability among the challenges for bringing these panels to market. IEC 61215-1:2021 is an international test standard. It covers design qualification and type approval of terrestrial PV modules (modules for use on the ground or roofs). It says its test results are not a quantitative prediction of module lifetime. Ask for the actual certificate, the models it covers and the test report. Check that the offered construction matches the tested one.
Oxford PV states a 10-year product and performance warranty for Gen 2 modules. It says later generations will carry longer warranties. For any maker, read who issues the warranty and which model it covers. Read how performance is measured, what the remedy is and how to make a claim. A warranty is a promise. An operating record is evidence. They are different things.
UL 3703 is a solar-tracker standard, as UL’s scope page shows. It is not a perovskite durability test.
What do perovskite panels cost?
The makers read for this update do not publish a price. Oxford PV gives pricing on request. Caelux does not list one. Treat any dollar-per-watt figure you see elsewhere as unsourced until a maker or distributor quotes it for a defined delivery.
A fair comparison needs two actual offers with the same delivery terms, taxes, installation scope and warranty. Module price alone is not installed cost. A higher efficiency does not by itself give a lower levelized cost of energy (the cost of each kWh over the system’s life). Model delivered energy and export value under the same financial assumptions. Include racking (the mounting frame), electrical changes and replacements.
Which design inputs change with a tandem module?
Start with the datasheet of the exact module and the proposed inverter:
| Design input | Check |
|---|---|
| Open-circuit voltage | Rated value and the temperature treatment |
| Operating voltage and current | Datasheet values across relevant conditions |
| Inverter input limits | Absolute voltage, MPPT window (the voltage range where the inverter tracks peak power), current and short-circuit limits |
| Mounting | Dimensions, clamps, loading and installation instructions |
| Protection and connection | Approved design and local utility requirements |
A module swap can change strings (groups of panels wired together), protection, structure and modeled output. So rerun the layout before you reuse an earlier proposal.
Procurement record for a perovskite option
Before presenting a perovskite module as ready for a project, keep:
- The exact manufacturer, model, supplier and a dated offer.
- What delivery, local stock, installation and service the supplier commits to.
- The datasheet, what the certification covers and proof of reliability.
- The governing warranty and how it is enforced.
- The electrical, structural and connection review for the offered equipment.
- A like-for-like comparison of delivered energy and installed cost.
SurgePV publishes this guide and sells solar software. When you look at its design workflow, bring the module datasheet. Ask which module data the energy-yield model accepts. This article does not describe a released module library made for perovskite.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When will perovskite solar panels be available?
Small volumes are available now. Oxford PV announced the first commercial shipment of perovskite-silicon tandem panels on 5 September 2024. It went to a US utility-scale customer. It says its first modules made at volume come from 2027. Solx, which builds modules with Caelux’s perovskite glass, expects widespread commercial volumes for the US market by 2027. Neither company gives a date for stock at a residential distributor.
Are perovskite solar panels commercially available in 2026?
Yes, in limited volumes and by arrangement. Oxford PV sells its Centaur 2 tandem modules to pilot and utility customers and gives pricing on request. Caelux sells perovskite Active Glass to module makers. It announced the completion of its first commercial order shipment on 8 July 2025. The US Department of Energy says perovskite PV is not yet manufactured at scale.
Can I buy perovskite solar panels for my home?
No maker read for this update lists a retail price or a residential catalogue. Oxford PV lists residential among its use cases. It says it is working with customers on pilot projects, and its September 2024 release mentions pilot residential applications. Ask the maker or an installer for a quote on the exact model.
How much do perovskite solar panels cost compared with silicon?
No maker whose pages were read publishes a price. Oxford PV says it gives pricing on request after contact with its sales team. Caelux does not publish a price on its product page. Ask for quotes that match on delivery, taxes, installation scope and warranty.
Does a record efficiency prove commercial module performance?
No. LONGi reported a 35.5% crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cell certified by ESTI on 28 July 2026, but that is a laboratory cell. Oxford PV’s 26.9% efficient 60-cell module was announced in June 2024 and certified by Fraunhofer CalLab. It was presented as a module record. The first panels it shipped were 24.5% efficient. Module ratings, not cell records, set what a roof produces.
Does IEC qualification guarantee a 25-year lifetime?
No. IEC 61215-1:2021 covers design qualification and type approval. It says test results are not a quantitative prediction of module lifetime. Oxford PV says its Gen 2 modules come with a 10-year product and performance warranty. Read the actual warranty and test report for the model you are offered.
Will perovskite solar panels replace silicon?
No source read for this update gives a replacement date. Oxford PV’s tandem and Caelux’s hybrid tandem both put perovskite on top of silicon. So current products add to silicon cells rather than replace them. The US Department of Energy says perovskite PV is not yet manufactured at scale.
Sources and scope
Product and date facts come from the makers’ own pages and releases linked above. Their performance claims are self-reported. The calculation example is made up.
Where this fits
This article is part of SurgePV's Solar Technology hub, which works through the topic from first principles to the decisions a project team actually has to make.
