XtalPi (XtalPi Inc., 2228.HK) recently announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with a subsidiary of JinkoSolar Co., Ltd. (688223.SH) to advance the R&D of tandem solar cells using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automated high-throughput technologies. The two industry leaders will establish a joint venture to build the world’s first fully closed-loop intelligent manufacturing line—integrating “AI Decision-making, Robotic Execution, and Data Feedback”—to develop high-efficiency, high-stability solar cell products for diverse applications.
This partnership marks a deep synergy in next-generation photovoltaic (PV) technologies, such as perovskite tandem cells. The joint laboratory aims to reshape the PV R&D paradigm by tokenizing key parameters—including material structures, formulas, processes, characterization results, and device performance. This will enable iterative cycles based on Large Language Models (LLMs) and multimodal AI reasoning, accelerating the industrialization of disruptive technologies.
XtalPi: A Game-Changer in AI-Powered Material Innovation
Since its inception in 2015, XtalPi has focused on the intersection of AI and material science, building a world-class AI for Science (AI4Science) platform. By integrating quantum physics algorithms, AI predictive models, and large-scale robotic automation, XtalPi bridges the gap between microscopic mechanisms and macroscopic experiments.
World-Leading Infrastructure: Its autonomous lab features over 200 robots, collecting high-precision R&D data at 40 times the efficiency of traditional labs.
Algorithmic Engine: XtalPi has developed over 200 AI algorithms and domain-specific models. Its dual-driven engine (Quantum Physics + AI) optimizes perovskite materials at the molecular and atomic levels, predicting band structures and carrier mobility with high precision.
Platform Versatility: Having served 17 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies, XtalPi has successfully migrated its deep technical expertise from drug discovery to new material R&D.
JinkoSolar: A Pioneer in PV Technological Breakthroughs
As a global leader in the PV industry, JinkoSolar has invested over RMB 20 billion in R&D, holding more than 3,100 authorized patents. The company is a frontrunner in N-type TOPCon technology, which has now become the industry mainstream. Recently, JinkoSolar achieved a world-record conversion efficiency of 27.79% for high-efficiency cells based on the TOPCon platform and 34.76% for N-type perovskite tandem cells. These milestones underscore the compatibility and potential of evolving TOPCon technology into perovskite tandem structures.
Synergistic Innovation: Reshaping the Next-Gen Tandem Cell Paradigm
The fusion of AI and robotics will accelerate the maturity of perovskite tandem technology, expanding the boundaries of PV applications:
Terrestrial Impact: Perovskite-silicon tandem modules are expected to significantly reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), improving system economics by approximately 15% compared to traditional technologies.
Aerospace Potential: Due to their high efficiency, low cost, lightweight, and flexible nature, perovskite tandem cells are the optimal long-term solution for space-based photovoltaics. They can significantly reduce the deployment area of satellite solar wings, freeing up payload space for other critical components.
The AI-Driven Closed-Loop Lab
The collaboration will establish the industry’s first 1,000-square-meter AI high-throughput tandem cell experimental line, with an expected throughput of 1,000 samples per day—a hundredfold increase. XtalPi will develop a proprietary AI R&D engine driven by domain-specific LLMs and physics-informed machine learning. This engine will tokenize hundreds of perovskite formulas and complex thin-film fabrication parameters, creating a structured database that enables a seamless “Design-Experiment-Feedback-Optimization” workflow.
Industry Outlook: An Innovation Revolution
The joint venture will operate under a “Technology Integration + Joint Development” model. Intellectual property generated in the perovskite field will be commercialized jointly, led by JinkoSolar with XtalPi’s collaboration. JinkoSolar expects perovskite tandem cells to reach mass production within approximately the next three years.
Dr. Shuhao Wen, Chairman of XtalPi, noted: “This is a win-win powerhouse collaboration. It serves as a classic example of a closed-loop where AI-developed materials empower space energy and computing, which in turn feeds back into the evolution of AI. The potential for AI in the future of material science is limitless.”
As AI transforms every industry, energy remains the bedrock of progress. By replacing traditional “trial-and-error” with AI and automation, XtalPi and JinkoSolar are redefining the innovation rate of the PV industry, merging AI computing power with advanced energy technology.
