Not every technology that shows promise in the lab makes it to market. Competition from existing products, scalability challenges, and high development and production costs are among the most common hurdles on the path from a scientific discovery to a commercial product.

What can researchers and industry do to increase the success rate of this transfer? A team of scientists and industry experts explored this question in a publication in the journal Nature Energy, using solar cell technologies as an example. “We wanted to understand what is needed on the academic and industrial side to develop a new solar cell that can compete in the market in the long term,” explains Empa researcher Mirjana Dimitrievska, lead author of the study.

Researchers have analyzed two novel materials for thin-film solar cells: copper indium gallium diselenide, also known by the abbreviation CIGS, and perovskite. Both semiconductors are ideal for solar cells, at least in theory, and achieve record efficiency values in the laboratory. This means that they convert a high proportion of incoming sunlight into electricity, making them promising materials for sustainable energy production.

Two promising technologies

The development of CIGS solar cells reached its peak in the 1990s and 2000s. Driven by high silicon prices, the technology was considered an alternative to silicon solar cells. The novel solar cells set efficiency records, including at Empa. Companies were founded worldwide accompanied by significant public and private investment. But then development slowed. The relatively costly and complex manufacturing process proved too expensive for many companies to scale up – especially after silicon prices recovered. The already established silicon technology won out over the CIGS “newcomer”.

Perovskite solar cells have only been in development for around 20 years. They also achieve high efficiency values. In addition, they can be manufactured using a variety of processes, including potentially cost-effective printing methods. By 2025, over 500 million US dollars had already been invested worldwide in this promising technology. Perovskite solar cells are also being developed at Empa – and commercialized by the spin-off Perovskia Solar. However, perovskite solar cells are not yet widely used, as this new material also presents challenges. “Perovskites are not very stable as of yet,” says Dimitrievska. “They are very sensitive to environmental influences.” In addition, unlike CIGS cells, perovskite solar cells have hardly been tested over long periods under real environmental conditions.

More than efficiency

To prevent these limitations of the emerging technology from becoming fatal, Dimitrievska and her co-authors have formulated a number of recommendations. “We should learn from our past mistakes, especially the experience with the commercialization of CIGS cells,” says the researcher. Specifically, the authors recommend that the research community focus on the resilience, stability, and sustainability of the material rather than on further efficiency records and also consider long-term field studies. “It is much more important to the industry that the product has a long service life, is reliable, and can be manufactured cost-effectively than a few percentage points more efficiency,” explains Dimitrievska. “In research, however, it is efficiency records that are rewarded above all else; they lead to high-profile publications and attract research funding.”

To bridge this gap, research and industry need to collaborate at an earlier stage, according to the study's authors. The researchers would also welcome a little more openness from industry. “Sometimes, we approach an industry partner with an idea, and they tell us, ‘We tried that ten years ago, it doesn't work.’ If they published such negative results, research would progress much faster.”

The authors recommend that scientists take the needs of industry into account as early as possible. “Research institutes such as Empa are particularly strong in this area, as they are generally closer to industry than universities,” says Dimitrievska. “Funding instruments like Innosuisse are also very valuable, as they support very specific product developments.”

The right solar cell for every application

Although perovskite solar cells still have a long way to go, the researcher is optimistic. “There is a lot of research being done to overcome the challenges of perovskites,” she says. CIGS solar cells are also experiencing a resurgence. Dimitrievska and her co-authors do not see the two thin-film technologies as competitors to silicon solar cells, but rather as valuable additions. Perovskites and CIGS can be used to manufacture solar cells that are lightweight, flexible, and extremely thin. They can truly shine wherever silicon is too heavy and stiff, such as in the Internet of Things, mobility, or smart textiles. So-called tandem technologies are also increasingly being developed: Combining silicon with a thin layer of CIGS or perovskite can further increase the efficiency of solar cells.

The authors are therefore convinced that investment in new technologies continues to be important and necessary. “Silicon is not the best semiconductor for solar cells,” Dimitrievska points out. “However, this technology has been in development for over 70 years and has already been greatly optimized thanks to continuous research and investment. If research and industry work together, the same can be achieved for perovskite and CIGS.”