The renewable energy landscape is evolving rapidly, with solar power leading the way. In 2023, global investments in solar energy reportedly surpassed all other power generation sources—including oil—for the first time. While silicon photovoltaics (PV) continue to dominate the market, a variety of emerging and established technologies also contribute to the sector’s evolution. Amongst these, thin film PV had previously accounted for less than 5% of all global solar installations. However, with increasing energy demand, ambitious decarbonisation goals, and advancing technological innovations, thin film PV could be on the verge of a breakthrough.
The thin film photovoltaics market is expected to grow significantly by the end of the decade. Source: IDTechEx
IDTechEx’s newly launched report, “Thin Film Photovoltaics Market 2025-2035: Technologies, Players, and Trends“, provides a deep dive into the entire thin film PV sector. The report covers a broad range of technologies, including dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSC), organic photovoltaics (OPV), perovskite PV, cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), gallium arsenide (GaAs), amorphous silicon (a-Si), and copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS). Profiles of over 35 key market players, along with detailed analysis of major applications such as solar farms, residential rooftops, building-integrated PV (BIPV), and wireless electronics, help to formulate granular 10-year forecasts for the entire solar market. IDTechEx forecasts that the thin film PV market will exceed US$11 billion by 2035, growing from US$5 billion in 2025, marking a pivotal shift for the thin film solar sector.
What are thin film photovoltaics?
Thin film solar cells are a sub-class of photovoltaics that operate using extremely thin semiconducting layers. Unlike silicon solar cells, which make use of thick and rigid wafers, these layers are typically only a few nanometers to micrometers thick, resulting in ultra-lightweight and flexible solar modules. Thin film PV fundamentally operates in the same way as traditional silicon solar technologies, converting incident light into electricity via the photovoltaic effect.
Thin film PV holds only a small percentage of the overall solar power market. The dominance of silicon PV, along with performance limitations, material constraints, and higher manufacturing costs have all contributed to the low adoption of this technology. However, advancements in materials science, expanding applications and the development of novel technologies may help to drive renewed growth of the thin film PV sector over the next decade.
New applications are driving market growth
One of the key areas where thin film PV is gaining traction is in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Unlike conventional rooftop panels, thin film solar can be seamlessly incorporated into buildings, including walls, facades, and windows. Some modules are up to 90% lighter than silicon panels, requiring minimal structural modifications, making them an ideal solution for urban energy generation. Given the vast amount of vertical space available in cities, BIPV could significantly contribute to global renewable energy targets whilst minimally disrupting land usage. IDTechEx’s latest report, “Thin Film Photovoltaics Market 2025-2035: Technologies, Players, and Trends”, identifies the key thin film technologies that can help to benefit from the rising BIPV market.
Another promising application lies in self-powered electronics and the Internet of Things (IoT) sector. As smart devices become more prevalent, thin film PV is emerging as a sustainable power source for small wireless devices. Small electronic devices (IoT devices) typically require low power and are generally installed indoors. Provided the solar cell performs above a minimum threshold and can operate in low light levels, the precise efficiency of the device is unimportant, minimizing the need for expensive high-efficiency solar cells. This emerging market is currently targeted by organic and dye-sensitized solar cell technologies. It is already possible to purchase small self-powered electronics that are powered by these ultra-thin solar modules, such as people counters, humidity sensors, headphones, and keyboards. Thin film PV, in general, offers a reliable alternative to batteries, helping to reduce replacement costs and improving overall device longevity.
Perovskite photovoltaics: A game-changer for thin film solar
Among the most promising advancements for the thin film solar market is the advent of perovskite photovoltaics. This technology has gained significant academic and industry attention for its lightweight and flexible nature, high-efficiency achievements, and significantly lower cost compared to established solar technologies. Unlike traditional silicon solar cells, perovskite PV can be produced using solution-based roll-to-roll processing, making manufacturing both cost-effective and highly scalable. Along with this and its use of relatively abundant and inexpensive raw materials, IDTechEx finds that perovskite PV will be cost-competitive with silicon PV and with the technology significantly lower in price by 2035 and beyond.
Perovskite solar cells are also being explored for their use in tandem device architectures, where they are combined with silicon, CIGS, or other materials to push efficiencies beyond 40%. While single-junction solar cells face an efficiency ceiling of around 30%, multi-junction perovskite-based cells have a much higher theoretical limit, positioning them as a key technology for the future of solar power. By leveraging a well-established technology and supply chain, IDTechEx finds that perovskite/silicon tandem PV will account for one of the greatest market shares. The higher power output per unit area for perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, with a comparative price to silicon solar, makes them significantly attractive to both industry and consumers, where technology and price optimization are imperative.
With perovskite PV entering early-stage commercialisation and with several companies looking to ramp up manufacturing volumes, this technology is predicted to contribute significantly to the growth of the thin film PV market. IDTechEx forecasts that perovskite PV will account for over 40% of all thin film solar installations by 2035, driving substantial uptake for the sector.
The thin film PV market is at a turning point; while its share of global solar installations has remained low, shifting technological landscapes and growing application potential indicate new trends for this sector. IDTechEx’s latest report on the topic outlines both the future opportunities and challenges for the thin film PV market and finds that as the global demand for clean energy accelerates, thin film PV could play a significant role in the future of solar power.
Author: Maia Benstead, Technology Analyst at IDTechEx
To find out more about “Thin Film Photovoltaics Market 2025-2035: Technologies, Players, and Trends”, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/photovoltaics.
