Why Qcells is testing solar cells on the moon | Hanwha

Hanwha Qcells’ next-generation solar technology is about to be tested in one of the most demanding environments imaginable: the Moon. 

As part of the Space Science and Technology Evaluation Facility-1 (SSTEF-1) mission, led by the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in collaboration with NASA, the company’s perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells will be installed on the exterior of a lunar lander and exposed to the extreme conditions of space. The data collected will help accelerate the development of next-generation solar technology by showing how these cells perform in an environment that simply cannot be recreated on Earth. 

The mission comes at a defining moment for the solar industry. Global investment in solar is approaching $1 billion a day, with spending expected to reach about $365 billion in 2026 — more than for any other power generation technology, according to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Investment 2026 report. Growth is being fueled by rising demand from AI data centers, increased electrification, and a stronger focus on energy security. 

Silicon has driven the industry’s rapid growth, but it’s nearing its practical limits. Conventional silicon solar cells have a theoretical efficiency ceiling of 29.4%, while the best laboratory cells have already reached 27.9%, leaving little room for further gains. To generate more power from the same surface area and reduce weight, the industry needs a new approach. While high-performance solar cells already power existing space infrastructure, they remain roughly 100 times more expensive than terrestrial modules due to complex manufacturing processes. Bridging this gap requires a technology that combines extreme efficiency with the low-cost scalability of Earth-based solar.