Oxford PVa solar perovskite company operating in Europe has opened its patent portfolio to the US panel manufacturer First solar energy. First Solar has signed a patent licensing agreement with Oxford PV, which gives First Solar access to Oxford’s existing issued patents and currently pending patent applications.
First research and development in solar thin film
The non-exclusive license allows First Solar to continue its development of solar PV devices using a perovskite semiconductor for potential applications in the U.S. utility, commercial and residential markets. The scope of the license includes the potential manufacturing and distribution of such products in the United States and excludes crystalline silicon semiconductors. Other terms were not disclosed.
“This agreement allows us to continue pursuing viable pathways for the production and commercialization of thin-film perovskite products that can meet our long-term goal of serving all addressable markets,” said Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar. “This agreement reflects the confidence we have in the progress of our R&D team in developing an efficient, stable and manufacturable perovskite device, while aligning with our long-standing positions on respecting and protecting intellectual property rights.”
First Solar has spent more than $2 billion on thin-film research and development, including a focus on perovskites. The company’s investments include a new perovskite development line at its Perrysburg, Ohio, campus that produces small form factor modules using a perovskite semiconductor, allowing First Solar to achieve key internal milestones in its perovskite development program, including efficiency, stability and early-stage manufacturability goals.
Oxford PV has the strongest global patent portfolio for perovskite solar technologies. The UK-headquartered company operates a multi-faceted business model that combines manufacturing with strategic licensing, in line with its mission to take perovskite PV mainstream. Oxford PV manufactures and commercializes perovskite-on-silicon tandem solar cells and modules in Brandenburg, Germany, and is pursuing expansion into large-scale production as part of its long-term growth strategy. Oxford shipped some tandem modules to an American developer in 2024.
“Strong intellectual property frameworks are essential to supporting innovation at scale in the solar industry,” said David Ward, CEO of Oxford PV. “We welcome First Solar’s continued commitment to a perovskite-based PV future. Agreements like this, building on previous industry validation, reflect the growing confidence in perovskite-based solar photovoltaics – the next generation of solar technology we have been developing for more than a decade – and support its advancement in the US market.”
In 2023, First Solar acquired the European perovskite company Evolar AB.
