Like any business, defence forces are investigating the most efficient, readily deployable and cost-effective technologies to power armies, navies, and air forces.
As modern militaries increasingly rely on uninterrupted power supply for communications, surveillance, and autonomous technologies, there is a growing need to protect energy sources from disruption.
This is where perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are beginning to play a major role in strengthening energy independence across a range of existing and emerging technologies.
Current uses of PSCs by defence
PSCs have become renowned for their ultra lightweight composition, application flexibility and highly efficient performance properties – even in lowlight settings.
During laboratory testing, perovskite solar cells have proven to be more than 25% more efficient than conventional silicon solar cells.
That figure has increased from just 3% in the space of a decade, making PSCs the fastest-improving photovoltaic material in terms of efficiency.
Combined with the ability to manufacture PSCs as thin, light and flexible films, this extreme efficiency makes integration easier on non-traditional surfaces.
In the defence sector, real-world testing of PSCs has already begun in earnest, focused on shoring up energy security.
For example, the United States Army has started testing perovskite solar cells for use in modular mobile microgrids, designed for rapid deployment during military operations or natural disasters.
If traditional sources of power are cut off, these energy-efficient microgrids can provide a reliable resource to support critical infrastructure while reducing reliance on diesel generators and fuel supplies, often considered vulnerabilities from a defence perspective.
There is also opportunity to use PSCs to improve the endurance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as long-distance, high-altitude drones.
The US Army has already invested USD 20 million into a series of long-endurance, solar-powered drones for surveillance and reconnaissance.
In Austria, a research team has successfully created autonomous drones powered by perovskite solar cells. While these hand-sized drones are not yet produced at the scale required by the defence industry, the results demonstrate the technology’s future potential.
Weight remains the dominant challenge for UAV flight range and performance, as adding heavy solar cells to the wings of a drone can reduce flight duration.
Using lighter, higher-efficiency perovskite solar cells could significantly extend UAV missions from days to weeks, enabling longer flight time over conflict zones or disaster-affected regions.
Where does graphene fit?
While efficiency of PSCs has already advanced in leaps and bounds, further gains remain promising.
Research conducted by our team alongside Australian PSC manufacturer Halocell has shown adding graphene to a PSC can increase efficiencies by more than 30%.
Production costs can also be reduced by up to 80%, as graphene lowers the required volume of expensive conductor materials, such as silver and gold.
The combination of high efficiency, low capital intensity, and rapid roll-to-roll manufacturing makes graphene-enhanced PSCs a highly attractive option for defence applications.
However, one of the biggest challenges for perovskite solar cells has been long-term durability, as they typically have shorter lifespans than traditional silicon cells.
This is where graphene could become a gamechanger for the defence industry. The unique material is one of the strongest in existence and has consistently demonstrated its ability to enhance durability when incorporated into other materials.
Beyond defence and military applications, the strategic value of graphene-enhanced perovskite solar cells also lies in logistics resilience.
Modern military operations are heavily constrained by supply chains, particularly the need to transport fuel into remote or contested environments.
Every litre of fuel moved to a forward operating base carries both financial cost and operational risk.
Lightweight, rapidly deployable solar solutions could reduce this burden by enabling units to generate power independently for extended periods.
Over time, this shift would not only improve operational endurance, but also lower emissions, reduce noise signatures, and enhance the overall survivability of energy-dependent defence systems.
There is no doubt more research needs to be done, but a clear vision is emerging for the role graphene could play across the broader defence sector.
Broadening the future applications of PSCs
Graphene-enhanced perovskite solar cells are not yet turnkey battlefield solutions.
At present, the primary market for PSCs developed by First Graphene and Halocell is small electronic devices, though the long-term outlook is far broader.
Halocell has identified more than 40 potential PSC applications in the small electronic goods space, from TV remotes to torches to outdoor garden lighting.
There is a long way to go before solar modules currently capable of replacing disposable batteries in TV remotes can be applied to long-distance drones for the defence industry.
However, the bigger picture lies in the fast-evolving technology’s application in defence and aerospace, with global defence investment at record levels.
In Australia alone, more than $765 billion is forecast to be invested into the local defence industry over the next decade.
This presents a major opportunity for local manufacturers to collaborate with developers of modern renewable technologies to enter a rapidly expanding industry.
In an era where energy access is both a goal and a target for nations, the ability to generate reliable, affordable power is a strategic advantage.
Graphene-enhanced perovskite solar cells delivered by companies like First Graphene and Halocellrepresent a convergence of materials science, renewable energy and defence strategy.
As geopolitical competition sharpens, nations that invest early in these foundational technologies may find themselves better powered for conflicts and crises of the future.
Author: Michael Bell, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, First Graphene
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
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