[SMM PV Flash] Indian Manufacturer Signs 4 GW Perovskite-TOPCon Tandem Module Partnership

The origin mix of solar cell flows into the US shifted sharply in 2026. SMM analysis of global solar cell trade-flow data shows that approximately 37.32 GW of cells moved into the US market in January–July. Ethiopia supplied about 21.55 GW, or 57.8% of the total, far exceeding China, Kenya, South Korea and Thailand. On a cumulative basis, Ethiopia was therefore the largest origin in this dataset.

Major PV module markets remained divided by region and product segment this week.

According to Yanhe Technology’s official WeChat account, on September 17, China successfully launched the Tianyi-51 and Tianyi-52 satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using the Kuaizhou-11 Y3 carrier rocket. The satellites smoothly entered their designated orbits, and the launch mission was a complete success. Yanhe Technology’s independently developed flexible perovskite PV module entered the designated orbit along with the Tianyi-52 satellite, officially initiating long-term on-orbit performance monitoring and space-environment adaptability verification. This marks the first time in China’s commercial aerospace sector that an engineering-grade, full-operating-condition, module-level on-orbit verification of flexible perovskite has been carried out, signifying that China’s flexible perovskite space PV technology has formally advanced from the laboratory research stage to the engineering application verification stage. This launch precisely delivered the Tianyi-51 and Tianyi-52 satellites into their designated orbits in a “one rocket, two satellites” configuration. As a cutting-edge technology demonstration payload, the Yanhe flexible perovskite module will, on orbit, be subjected to extreme space operating conditions involving the coupling of multiple factors, including high vacuum, ±100°C thermal cycling, high-energy EVA irradiation, and low-Earth-orbit atomic oxygen erosion. The evaluation will focus on electrical output characteristics under thermal-cycle fatigue, irradiation degradation, and mechanical vibration conditions, as well as interconnection reliability and mechanical stability, with core performance parameters transmitted back in real time via the satellite’s telemetry system.