Oxford PV, a solar perovskite company operating in Europe, has opened its patent portfolio to American panel manufacturer First Solar. First Solar has signed a patent licensing agreement with Oxford PV, which provides First Solar with access to Oxford’s existing issued patents and currently pending patent applications.
First Solar thin-film R&D
The non-exclusive license allows First Solar to continue advancing its development of solar PV devices employing a perovskite semiconductor for potential applications in the U.S. utility-scale, commercial and residential markets. The scope of the license covers 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 to manufacturing and commercializing thin film-perovskite products that could 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 our R&D team’s progress in developing an efficient, stable, and manufacturable perovskite device, while aligning with our longstanding positions on respecting and safeguarding intellectual property rights.”
First Solar has spent over $2 billion on thin-film research and development, which includes 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 featuring a perovskite semiconductor, allowing First Solar to meet key internal milestones in its perovskite development program, including initial-stage efficiency, stability and manufacturability objectives.
Oxford PV has the strongest global patent portfolio for perovskite solar technologies. The UK-headquartered company operates a multifaceted business model that combines manufacturing with strategic licensing, aligned with its mission to make perovskite PV mainstream. Oxford PV manufactures and commercializes perovskite-on-silicon tandem solar cells and modules in Brandenburg, Germany, and is pursuing expansion into high-volume manufacturing as part of its long-term growth strategy. Oxford shipped some tandem modules to a U.S. developer in 2024.
“Strong intellectual property frameworks are essential to supporting innovation at scale across the solar industry,” said David Ward, chief executive officer of Oxford PV. “We welcome First Solar’s ongoing commitment to a perovskite-based PV future. Agreements like this, building on earlier industry validation, reflect growing confidence in perovskite-based photovoltaics — the next generation of solar technology we have been developing for over a decade — and support its advancement in the US market.”
In 2023, First Solar acquired European perovskite company Evolar AB.
