Solar cells have been traditionally made of silicon. The element has dominated the sola cell and alternative energy market for years. However the days of silicon as kingpin of the solar cell creation may soon be at an end.

It’s successor may well be a material called Perovskite. This alternative is not just cheaper to manufacture solar cells with, it is also relatively easier to process as compared with silicon. While silicon based cells have an efficiency of 25%, the perovskite cells are still at 22% efficiency. This may seem a negative point till you consider that the first perovskite cell was at 3% and in the last few years the efficiency has been constantly improved.

However as Lin Leong of the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in Singapore pointed out, the challenge to developing efficient and cheap commercially available solar panels has until now been dominated by silicon, with emerging alternative solar cells considered minor players.

With perovskite that autonomy and domination is now at risk. The promise of better efficiency, combined with its lower production costs makes the perovskite solar cells a viable and attractive option for commercial start up companies. This is one science project that they are literally going to be pouring over.