Like many attendees headed to this year’s RE+, we arrived unsure of what mood to expect. The sharp turn on renewables from Washington colliding with rising electricity demand has left a hazy outlook for US solar.
Yet the packed conference halls were buzzing with insiders expressing cautious conviction in the industry’s maturity and adaptability—and we left feeling even more confident that perovskite-silicon tandems will transform the market.
Touring the expo hall, we heard plenty about practical, finance-aligned tweaks to mainstream silicon modules: tougher glass and frames for hail risk, steady module efficiency gains, and higher module voltages to trim balance of system (BOS) costs, like electrical equipment and installation.
None of it, however, came close to signaling a true step change, suggesting current-gen silicon modules are nearing their performance limits—limits that Swift’s ultra-efficient perovskite-silicon tandems will blow past. And with the industry’s need for onshored manufacturing growing even stronger, our technology is primed for a major breakout.
Perovskites may not have been a floor centerpiece at this year’s conference—authentic perovskite modules were scarce; one “display” unit was acknowledged as a non-functional dummy. But they were a conversation driver.
That’s thanks in no small part to developers needing to think more critically about how to compete in a world without a federal investment tax credit for solar projects. Cost and capacity are more critical than ever, as is supply chain security.
In this environment, Swift Solar’s proprietary technology will shine. Our perovskite tandems promise to deliver more power in the same module footprint with the same BOS equipment specs, driving cost reductions across the system while increasing capacity by up to 30%. More watts per module translates into less racking, less wire, less labor, and less land requirements through the same interconnection.
That density impact enhances the savings that silicon advances are already chasing—particularly on land-constrained sites and projects targeting higher storage capacity ratios. And because the industry is already moving to higher-voltage systems, tandems slot into familiar plant designs rather than forcing a redesign.
Developers are catching on to the potential. In meeting after meeting, we heard plenty of curiosity about how and where tandems can be piloted at US sites and how quickly they can scale with domestic supply and bankability. Those discussions made clear that if perovskite tandems are US-made and priced in line with market expectations, developers will buy them—because a major step-up in energy density significantly improves the project math.
Demand. We’re seeing strong demand from developers with robust pipelines, many already safe-harbored through 2029. Wherever higher efficiency modules + domestic content drive portfolio value, tandems earn a serious look. Early piloting is a priority for many teams, and we’ll prioritize those partners at the front of the queue.
Manufacturing. We plan to make tandem modules available in the next two years, then scale up to >1GW shortly thereafter. We’ll align supply with partners who are early adopters.
Partnership. We are here to support our partners as we scale up and begin preparing for pilot projects alongside them. Shared success is our goal.
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If you are thinking about late 2020s pipeline and beyond, or want to discuss how you can add more solar capacity to land constrained sites, we want to talk. Swift Solar is committed to solving the hard challenges to keep pushing the solar industry forward and make the US the center of global perovskite manufacturing.
