The study, published in Device, demonstrates that lunar regolith—the dusty, silicate-rich material covering the Moon’s surface—can be transformed into a transparent glass substrate suitable for halide perovskite solar cells. By combining abundant in-situ materials with thin-film photovoltaic technology, the proposed system eliminates up to 99% of the launch mass required for traditional silicon- or gallium arsenide-based solar panels. This innovation enables power-to-mass ratios up to 50 W/g, 20 to 100 times higher than conventional space solar technologies.
Beyond lunar ambitions, the implications are profound for Earth’s energy transition.
Perovskites have long been recognized for their high efficiency, low cost, and ability to be deposited on flexible, lightweight materials. Yet durability, environmental stability, and scalability have remained hurdles to widespread adoption. The lunar application bypasses many of these concerns by leveraging the unique properties of moonglass and the radiation tolerance of perovskite materials. In testing, the solar cells retained 99.6% of their initial efficiency even after exposure to high-energy proton irradiation—a critical metric for both lunar missions and Earth-based applications in extreme environments.
Importantly, the energy payback time for these perovskite systems is as low as 0.15 years—far shorter than silicon’s 1–2.5 years. This is particularly relevant for businesses and infrastructure on Earth looking to reduce embodied carbon and improve the lifecycle performance of renewables. As companies and cities aim to build decentralized microgrids, backup systems for critical infrastructure, and off-grid solutions in remote or climate-vulnerable regions, innovations like these could lower costs and increase access to resilient clean energy.
The study also reinforces the growing appeal of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), not just in space exploration but in global sustainability strategies. By sourcing structural materials locally and minimizing raw material input, the lunar solar concept echoes circular economy principles now being applied to construction, manufacturing, and energy system design.
For the corporate sustainability community, the research offers a glimpse into the future of energy systems that are not only efficient and low-carbon but also adaptive, modular, and materially efficient. As perovskite technologies continue to mature—bolstered by investments in tandem cell research and pilot-scale manufacturing—companies would be wise to monitor advancements beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
