Local manufacturing of perovskite solar cells, a game-changer for low- and lower-middle income countries?

Efforts to combat climate change are largely focused on industrialised countries. However, low- and lower-middle income countries (LLMICs) have rapid population growth and a large potential for economic and industrial development. As a result, demand for energy will soar in LLMICs over the coming decades. Here, we consider how local manufacturing of photovoltaics can be an affordable pathway to a clean, sustainable and reliable energy supply for LLMICs. Local manufacturing could be cheaper, generate jobs and provide a stable local market for natural resources. Perovskite solar cells are particularly promising as they are compatible with low-tech processing techniques, making smaller scale manufacturing capacity economically viable. Our findings suggest local manufacturing is economically competitive to importing silicon modules in up to 71 out of 80 LLMICs analysed. Our Case Study of Ethiopia finds that the technological knowledge, raw materials and legislation required for local manufacturing are all present. A cost reduction of similar to 10% compared to GW-scale silicon production is sufficient to make local manufacturing economically viable.