INSTITUTION PROFILE / PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS
National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL)
The U.S. national laboratory that keeps the world's ledger of efficiency records
Articles on perovskite solar cells often mention "the NREL chart". That chart is maintained by a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which was renamed from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) on 1 December 2025. NLR does not set regulations or hand out subsidies. Its influence comes from its expertise in measuring and certifying efficiency, and from the chart that lists record results from around the world. This profile looks at one question only: how much influence NLR actually has over perovskite solar cells.
What this article covers
- NLR in 30 seconds
- What kind of body it is: the four types of influence
- What it does for perovskite solar cells
- How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
- The companies and organisations involved
- Outlook
- Glossary, references and claim-to-source audit
1. NLR in 30 seconds
FULL NAMENational Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR)Renamed by DOE on 1 December 2025. Formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
COUNTRYUnited StatesSites in Golden and Arvada, Colorado; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Washington, D.C.
TYPE OF BODYDOE national laboratoryUnder DOE's Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation. Managed and operated by a partnership led by MRIGlobal and Battelle
ESTABLISHED1977Opened as the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI). Became a national laboratory and was renamed NREL in 1991
STAFFAbout 3,400Researchers, postdocs, interns and operations staff combined (the official site says "nearly 3,400")
SCALE INDICATORMore than 1,100 partnershipsActive partnerships with industry, universities, governments and others. The overview page gives no budget figure
ROLE IN PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLSCertified efficiency measurement, efficiency charts and researchNo power to set regulations, subsidies or standards
REACHMeasurement and charts are global; research partnerships are mainly U.S.Measurement services are open to customers from any country
The one thing to grasp first
NLR's efficiency chart only lists results confirmed by independent, recognised test labs. The examples of confirming labs given are NLR itself, AIST (Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), JRC-ESTI and Fraunhofer ISE Sourced. In other words, NLR is the keeper of the record ledger; it does not measure every record itself. Of the 58 entries in the data table whose cell type includes perovskite, 8 list "NREL" as the measuring lab Our calculation. Its influence is nonetheless large, because its listing criteria (standard test conditions and confirmation by an independent lab) serve as the common rules by which the world compares results.
2. What kind of body it is: the four types of influence
Unlike the companies in this series, none of the institutions that appear in perovskite solar cell coverage makes solar cells. What separates them is the route by which they influence the industry, and that gives four types.
3. What it does for perovskite solar cells
NLR's involvement in perovskite solar cells falls into four kinds of activity: measuring, recording, researching and providing test facilities Sourced.
| Activity | What it involves | Link to perovskites | Reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart | Shows the highest efficiencies for research cells by technology since 1976. The latest revision is dated 17 July 2026. The chart is not copyrighted and may be used in presentations and publications with an acknowledgement | Has categories for perovskite cells and perovskite tandems, and among hybrid tandems for perovskite/Si, perovskite/CIGS and perovskite/organic | Global (entries from any country) |
| Champion Module Efficiency Chart | Shows the highest module efficiencies since 1988, by module size | Has categories for perovskite, perovskite two-junction and perovskite/Si | Global |
| Certified efficiency measurement and calibration services | Measures current-voltage characteristics, quantum efficiency and more for cells and modules, and issues certified data. Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025; results within six weeks. Its primary reference cell calibration facility is one of four in the world | Covers every kind of solar cell, from commercial products to research samples | Open to customers from any country |
| Applied perovskite research | Raising efficiency, controlling stability and scale-up (including slot-die coating and roll-to-roll manufacturing) | Regularly makes cells above 20% efficiency, and has high-efficiency devices of 1 cm² and larger | Mainly research in the U.S. |
| US-MAP (a U.S. perovskite manufacturing consortium) | Run by NLR and three universities, it provides shared research, testing and prototyping facilities, and evaluates durability with standardised stress tests | Supports member companies in starting up manufacturing and assessing reliability | U.S. (the founding industry members were six domestic companies) |
| PACT (Perovskite PV Accelerator for Commercial Technologies) | Led by Sandia National Laboratories, with NLR researchers serving as deputy director and head of the reliability team. Develops performance and degradation measurement procedures, accelerated tests and outdoor tests | As of July 2026, it had received and tested more than 1,000 perovskite modules from 10 companies and 10 research institutions | Tests at U.S. sites (Sandia and NLR) |
The latest perovskite-related records on the chart
| Category | Efficiency | Maker (as shown on the chart) | Measuring lab (as shown in the data table) and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-junction perovskite | 28.0% | Hainan U | NPVM, February 2026 |
| Perovskite/perovskite (two-junction) | 30.1% | Nanjing Univ / Renshine | JET, June 2024 |
| Perovskite/Si (two-terminal) | 35.2% | LONGi | JRC-ESTI, February 2026 |
| Perovskite/CIGS (two-terminal) | 26.7% | KIER | FhG-ISE, April 2026 |
Based on the chart revised on 17 July 2026 and the data table published on the same page Sourced. LONGi announced 35.5%, certified by JRC-ESTI, on 14 July 2026, but this revision of the chart still shows 35.2%.
A materials engineer's view: how to read the numbers on the chart
Note that chart records do not depend on cell area. NLR's notes say the area is the cell's total area or an area defined by an aperture. In a 2026 announcement, HZB explained that the NLR chart lists the highest value for each technology even for a cell of 0.001 cm², whereas the efficiency tables in the journal Progress in Photovoltaics (known as the "green tables") require an area of more than 1 cm² Sourced. When using the chart to assess materials, it is safest to check the area and the measuring lab in the data table. See our explainer on conversion efficiency and evaluation metrics for more.
4. How far its influence reaches (powers and geography)
| Aspect | What NLR has | What it does not have |
|---|---|---|
| Powers | It operates the chart's listing criteria (standard test conditions and confirmation by an independent, recognised test lab). It carries out certified measurement under ISO/IEC 17025 and calibrates reference cells | Power to set regulations, subsidies or international standards. On standards, NLR is a participant in ASTM and IEC work |
| Geography | The chart and measurement services cover the whole world. Research partnerships (US-MAP and PACT) are based at U.S. sites | Any direct authority over other countries' certification systems or markets |
| Certifying records | Measures records as one of the recognised test labs (some LONGi and Oxford PV records were measured in the NREL era) | It is not the sole arbiter of records. Results confirmed by AIST, JRC-ESTI, Fraunhofer ISE and others are also listed |
| Scale | About 3,400 staff, more than 1,100 partnerships and more than 920 technologies available for licensing (all fields) | The budget spent on perovskite research has not been published |
A note on reading the name
The old name survives in the chart materials after the renaming. The data table's sheet is called "PIP & NREL data", the data guide's file name is "nrel-record-cell-efficiency-data-table-guide.pdf", and measurements made before the renaming show "NREL" in the measuring-lab column Sourced. When a company or research institution refers to "the NREL chart" or "certified by NREL", it means the same institution that is now NLR.
5. The companies and organisations involved
Links to the company profiles in this series
| Company | Link to NLR (as stated in primary sources) | Link to this series |
|---|---|---|
| LONGi | Maker of the current perovskite/Si record (35.2%). In the data table, NREL is the measuring lab for its 33.9% (2023) and 34.85% (2024) results | See our LONGi profile |
| Oxford PV | In the data table, NREL is the measuring lab for its perovskite/Si results of 28.0% (2018) and 29.5% (2020) | See our Oxford PV profile |
| Renshine Solar | Listed alongside Nanjing University as maker of the current two-junction perovskite record (30.1%). The measuring lab is JET | See our Renshine Solar profile |
| Caelux, First Solar, Swift Solar, Tandem PV | Listed as industry members on the US-MAP partner list (dates of joining and terms have not been published) | See our profiles of each company |
6. Outlook
| What the evidence suggests | Primary information it rests on | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Despite the renaming, the efficiency chart will remain the world's reference point for records | The chart was revised on 17 July 2026 and the measurement service page was updated in September 2026. HZB cited it as the "NLR-table (formerly NREL)" in a June 2026 announcement | Inference |
| For perovskites, the focus of evaluation will widen from efficiency to durability, giving more weight to testing at PACT and US-MAP | PACT has received more than 1,000 modules to measure degradation, and US-MAP lists standardised stress testing among its goals | Inference |
| Research priorities will be more easily swayed by the policies of the DOE office that oversees NLR | NLR now sits under the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation and describes its mission in terms of "critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security". Its history page describes the renaming as an opportunity to embrace "a broader applied energy mission" | Inference |
7. Glossary
- Efficiency chart
- NLR's plot of the best research-cell efficiencies over time for each technology. It lists only results confirmed by independent, recognised test labs.
- Certified measurement
- Efficiency measured under standard conditions by a third-party test lab, not by the maker, which then issues a certificate.
- ISO/IEC 17025
- The international standard for accrediting the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Results from accredited labs are more readily accepted internationally.
- US-MAP
- A U.S. consortium for perovskite manufacturing that supports member companies' scale-up with shared facilities and durability testing.
- PACT
- A centre led by Sandia National Laboratories that tests the performance and degradation of modules using perovskites and other new PV technologies as an independent third party.
8. References
- NLR About the National Laboratory of the Rockies: mission, sites, nearly 3,400 staff, more than 1,100 partnerships, more than 920 technologies available for licensing, and the managing organisation. Updated 20 August 2026. https://www.nlr.gov/about
- NLR Laboratory History: SERI's opening in 1977, national laboratory status and renaming as NREL in 1991, and renaming as NLR on 1 December 2025. https://www.nlr.gov/about/history
- NLR Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart: listing criteria, examples of confirming labs, standard test conditions and copyright status. https://www.nlr.gov/pv/cell-efficiency
- NLR Best Research-Cell Efficiencies (chart PDF, revised 17 July 2026). https://www.nlr.gov/docs/libraries/pv/cell-pv-eff.pdf
- NLR Research-cell efficiency data table (Excel): efficiency, maker, measuring lab and measurement date for each record. https://www.nlr.gov/docs/libraries/pv/cell-efficiency-data-table.xlsx
- NLR Champion Module Efficiencies (module chart PDF, revised 17 July 2026): perovskite-related categories. https://www.nlr.gov/docs/libraries/pv/champion-module-chart.pdf
- NLR Device Performance: measurement and calibration services, availability to customers from any country, and results within six weeks. Updated 10 September 2026. https://www.nlr.gov/pv/device-performance
- NLR About Device Performance and Calibration: ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, a primary reference cell calibration facility that is one of four in the world, and participation in ASTM and IEC standards work. https://www.nlr.gov/pv/pvdpc/about
- NLR Perovskite Solar Cells: aims, areas of expertise and facilities of its applied perovskite research. https://www.nlr.gov/pv/perovskite-solar-cells
- US-MAP About the US-MAP Consortium: purpose, standardised stress testing and shared facilities. https://www.usa-perovskites.org/about
- US-MAP Partners: the four managing institutions, the logo list of industry members, and the six domestic founding companies. https://www.usa-perovskites.org/about/partners
- Sandia National Laboratories PV PACT Center: the centre's role, and receipt of more than 1,000 modules from 10 companies and 10 research institutions as of July 2026. https://pvpact.sandia.gov/
- Sandia National Laboratories PACT Team: NLR researchers serve as deputy director and head of the reliability team. https://pvpact.sandia.gov/team/
- LONGi News release, "35.5%! LONGi Once Again Breaks World Record…" (announced 14 July 2026, certified by JRC-ESTI). https://www.longi.com/en/news/crystalline-silicon-perovskite-tandem-solar-cell-new-world-efficiency-2026/
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin News, "CIGS-perovskite tandem cell achieves record efficiency of 25.5 %" (30 June 2026): the difference in listing conditions between the NLR chart and the green tables. https://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/pubbin/news_seite?nid=34446&sprache=en
9. Claim-to-source audit
| Claim in the article | Category | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sites, status as a DOE national laboratory, overseeing office, about 3,400 staff, more than 1,100 partnerships, more than 920 licensable technologies, managing organisation | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.nlr.gov/about |
| SERI's opening in 1977, renaming as NREL in 1991, renaming as NLR on 1 December 2025 and "a broader applied energy mission" | Sourced | Reference 2 https://www.nlr.gov/about/history |
| The chart's listing criteria (confirmation by independent, recognised test labs, standard test conditions, definition of area), examples of confirming labs, copyright status | Sourced | Reference 3 https://www.nlr.gov/pv/cell-efficiency |
| Chart revision date, perovskite-related categories and the latest records (28.0%, 30.1%, 35.2%, 26.7%) | Sourced | Reference 4 https://www.nlr.gov/docs/libraries/pv/cell-pv-eff.pdf |
| Measuring lab and date for each record, the LONGi, Oxford PV and Renshine entries, and the old name surviving in the sheet name | Sourced | Reference 5 https://www.nlr.gov/docs/libraries/pv/cell-efficiency-data-table.xlsx |
| Of 58 entries including perovskite, 8 have NREL as the measuring lab | Our calculation | Our own count from the data table in reference 5 |
| Perovskite-related categories on the module chart | Sourced | Reference 6 https://www.nlr.gov/docs/libraries/pv/champion-module-chart.pdf |
| Measurement services open to customers worldwide, results within six weeks | Sourced | Reference 7 https://www.nlr.gov/pv/device-performance |
| ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, primary reference cell calibration facility as one of four in the world, participation in ASTM and IEC | Sourced | Reference 8 https://www.nlr.gov/pv/pvdpc/about |
| Content of the applied perovskite research, cells above 20% and devices of 1 cm² or larger | Sourced | Reference 9 https://www.nlr.gov/pv/perovskite-solar-cells |
| US-MAP's purpose, standardised stress testing and shared facilities | Sourced | Reference 10 https://www.usa-perovskites.org/about |
| US-MAP's managing institutions, six domestic founding companies, and Caelux, First Solar, Swift Solar and Tandem PV on the industry member list | Sourced | Reference 11 https://www.usa-perovskites.org/about/partners |
| 15 US-MAP industry members | Our calculation | Our own count of the logo list in reference 11 |
| PACT's role, more than 1,000 modules, 10 companies and 10 research institutions | Sourced | Reference 12 https://pvpact.sandia.gov/ |
| NLR researchers serve as PACT's deputy director and head of the reliability team | Sourced | Reference 13 https://pvpact.sandia.gov/team/ |
| LONGi's announcement of 35.5% (14 July 2026, certified by JRC-ESTI) | Sourced | Reference 14 https://www.longi.com/en/news/crystalline-silicon-perovskite-tandem-solar-cell-new-world-efficiency-2026/ |
| Difference in listing conditions between the NLR chart and the green tables, and the name "NLR-table (formerly NREL)" | Sourced | Reference 15 https://www.helmholtz-berlin.de/pubbin/news_seite?nid=34446&sprache=en |
| The four types of institution and NLR's place among them | Our calculation | Our own classification |
| The budget spent on perovskite research | Not yet confirmed | Not stated in references 1 or 9; this article does not estimate it |
| The three points in the outlook (section 6) | Inference | This article's reading of references 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 12 and 15 |
Last updated 25 September 2026 / Troy Technical
All figures come from NLR's official website and efficiency chart data table, the US-MAP and PACT websites, and official announcements by the companies and research institutions concerned. Items marked "Inference" are this article's reading of the primary information, not statements by NLR.