{"id":14038,"date":"2025-05-15T09:00:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T00:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rts-pv-wp.grgr.link\/en\/?post_type=blogs&#038;p=14038"},"modified":"2025-04-16T09:10:54","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T00:10:54","slug":"less-silver-more-savings-tohoku-startup-making-solar-cheaper-and-smarte","status":"publish","type":"blogs","link":"https:\/\/rts-pv-wp.grgr.link\/en\/blogs\/14038\/","title":{"rendered":"Less Silver, More Savings: Tohoku Startup Making Solar Cheaper and Smarte"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"background: #f6f6f6;padding: 16px 24px;margin-bottom: 1em\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"large-8 small-12\">\n<h6 style=\"margin-bottom: 10px\">Japan Solar Update: No.148 (May 12 ~ 16 2025)\u00a0<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<h6 class=\"large-4 small-12\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rts-pv-wp.grgr.link\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/04\/Cupper-paste.jpg\" alt=\"Cupper Paste PV Module\" width=\"212\" height=\"129\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12546\" \/><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Material Concept, a pioneering startup from Tohoku University in Sendai, is preparing to begin mass production of a groundbreaking copper paste for solar cells. This innovation could significantly reduce manufacturing costs and accelerate the adoption of affordable renewable energy.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The company is headquartered on Tohoku University\u2019s Aobayama campus in a region deeply affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. It plans to invest several hundred million yen by 2025 to build new production facilities. This expansion will increase its current output from 10 kilograms per month to 4 tons.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Traditionally, solar cells have relied on silver paste for wiring because of its excellent conductivity. However, silver is expensive, accounting for nearly 30 percent of solar panel material costs. The solar industry currently consumes about 10 percent of the global silver supply. This reliance increases production costs and exposes manufacturers to price volatility and supply chain risks.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Copper has long been considered unsuitable for solar cell wiring because it tends to bond with silicon and degrade performance. Material Concept has successfully overcome this challenge with a patented process that disperses copper powder in an alcohol-based solution. The resulting paste offers high performance at about half the cost of silver paste. Solar cells using this copper paste have already achieved a power conversion efficiency of 24.8 percent, making them competitive with silver-based alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Material Concept was founded in 2013 by CEO Miho Koike. The company was inspired by the vision of Tohoku University professor Junichi Koike, who aimed to support regional recovery through the development of low-cost, high-efficiency solar technology. It is a strong example of academic-industry collaboration and benefits from the university\u2019s leading-edge research in materials science.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To support its scale-up, the company has secured funding from JX Advanced Materials Corporation, a major player in the non-ferrous metals industry. This strategic partnership will help enable full-scale production and expand commercial reach.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As global demand for renewable energy continues to grow, the need for stable and cost-effective supply chains for raw materials becomes increasingly urgent. Material Concept\u2019s copper paste technology provides a solution to this challenge and may also reduce pressure on global silver demand. The technology offers both economic and environmental benefits that align with the shift toward a more sustainable future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":14041,"template":"","blogs_category":[],"class_list":["post-14038","blogs","type-blogs","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Less Silver, More Savings: Tohoku Startup Making Solar Cheaper and Smarte | RTS Corporation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Based upon over 40 years of our experiences and accumulated knowledge in PV,RTS Corporation has been providing in RTS Corporation is a leading PV industry \/ market consultingcompany and has been supporting the growth of the PV industry for nearly 40 years.We provide an optimal consulting service for each client interested in the PV business.\u3000Weekly PV news is available at RTS PV Blog.\" \/>\n<meta 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