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fliptop writes:

From the Crystal Palace at London 1851, the telephone at Philadelphia 1876 to the escalator at Paris 1900, the World Expo has always showcased innovations and cutting-edge technologies of the time. At the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka, host country Japan is promoting its latest technology at an unlikely spot; the bus terminal outside the main venue:

When visitors arrive at the Yumeshima Transportation Terminal 1, they will see more than 250 panels of ultrathin, lightweight "perovskite" solar cells forming the curved roof of the 250-meter-long terminal. These film-like solar panels, Japan hopes, will be the killer technology that not only grants the country more renewable power and reduces its dependency on China, but also gives it the chance to be the leader in the next generation of solar battery technology.

As reported at ZeroHedge:

Perovskite solar cells, discovered in 2009, are made from layers of chemicals just millimeters thick. Though still in early development, they rival traditional silicon-based panels in efficiency while being 20 times thinner and 10 times lighter, allowing installation on walls, rooftops, and even windows—places unsuitable for heavy panels.

"We believe this technology has the potential to beat the conventional silicon-based solar panels in terms of power generation efficiency," said Futoshi Kamiwaki, president of Sekisui Solarfilm, which developed the panels showcased at the Expo.

Japan, with limited flat land, leads major nations in solar capacity per km² but is running out of space. Installing perovskite cells on buildings could turn cities into vertical solar farms, helping Tokyo meet its 2040 goal: 29% of power from solar, up from under 10% today.

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