Perovskite tandem specialist Swift Solar to explore telecom tower integration

Swift Solar, a US-based perovskite tandem solar cell manufacturer, has partnered with American Tower Corp. to assess the integration of high energy density perovskite-silicon solar panels into telecommunications towers.

From pv magazine USA

Swift Solar, a perovskite tandem solar cell manufacturer, has partnered with American Tower Corp., a Fortune 500 wireless telecommunications infrastructure provider, to explore integrating perovskite-silicon tandem solar panels into telecom towers.

The company developed its perovskite tandem technology using exclusive intellectual property from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). It holds more than 40 patents and has secured $60 million in funding from venture capital firms, strategic investors, and US government agencies, including the Department of Energy and Department of Defense.

Perovskites are an emerging solar cell technology known for high conversion efficiency, enabling more electricity generation from a smaller surface area. Tandem cells combine a layer of perovskite with a conventional silicon solar layer to increase overall efficiency.

“Perovskite silicon tandem cells have achieved record efficiencies of 34.8% in 2025, compared to 27.3% for record silicon cells and about 20% for standard solar panels today. That’s a 30% jump in power output from the same footprint,” said Swift Solar.

Perovskites are lightweight, less materials-intensive and can be produced at lower temperatures than their silicon counterparts. A mitigating factor in the advancement of perovskites is their ability to remain durable and retain efficiency over time in the field. However, Swift Solar said its tandem product exhibits no degradation over 3,000-plus hours of high-temperature operation.

The company said the collaboration with American Tower Corporation addresses growing demand for solutions with higher energy density. This demand is driven by both the surge in electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and the limitations of traditional power infrastructure due to grid constraints.

By delivering more electricity output per square foot, perovskite tandems could pose a solution to space-constrained sites like telecommunications towers. American Tower operates approximately 42,000 communications sites in the U.S. and over 149,000 sites globally.

“This collaboration demonstrates the commercial readiness of our perovskite tandem platform across high-value markets beyond traditional utility-scale solar,” said Joel Jean, chief executive officer, Swift Solar.