Pathways to commercially viable organic photovoltaic materials

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are a pathway to sustainable energy solutions in various applications, but the challenge of developing materials that simultaneously fulfil stringent cost, efficiency and stability requirements has limited widespread adoption. Here we examine the critical factors shaping the transition of OPV materials from laboratory research to real-world deployment, focusing on materials design, scalable manufacturing and device reliability. Recent laboratory-scale proof-of-concept and prototype demonstrations have advanced the development of OPV materials with device efficiencies that exceed 21%, yet overcoming scale-up challenges remains essential for commercial viability. To facilitate this lab-to-fab transition, we discuss four key aspects that are expected to define the next decade of sustainable OPV: cost-effectiveness, green solvents for processing, stability and efficiency. By integrating these considerations, we highlight the advantages of OPV materials, including high power-to-weight ratios, intrinsic mechanical flexibility and tailored spectral selectivity for greenhouse agrivoltaics, to accelerate their commercialization.