Ricoh Company, Ltd. announced on October 27, 2026 that it will establish manufacturing capabilities for inkjet-printed perovskite solar cells as it moves toward mass production, building a production site at Ricoh Industry Co., Ltd.'s Tohoku Site in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

The company aims to achieve annual production capacity of several hundred megawatts by 2030, with future expansion to gigawatt-scale production in mind.

Selected for Japan's GX Supply Chain Program

Ricoh's perovskite solar cell manufacturing initiative has been selected for support under Japan's GX (Green Transformation) Supply Chain Development Support Program, administered by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

Under this program, Ricoh will build on its existing research, development, and demonstration activities to advance toward mass production and commercialization.

According to the company, the production site will be located in Shibata, Miyagi Prefecture, and will produce inkjet-printed perovskite solar cells using a manufacturing process based on Ricoh's proprietary inkjet technology. The target for starting mass production is by 2030.

Background: demand for lightweight, flexible solar

Ricoh frames the initiative against the accelerating transition toward a decarbonized society and the expansion of renewable energy adoption.

Expectations for perovskite solar cells stem from their thin, lightweight, and flexible characteristics, which allow installation on rooftops and walls of buildings with limited load-bearing capacity, locations where conventional silicon solar cells are difficult to deploy, thereby expanding opportunities for power generation.

The company notes, however, that widespread adoption requires more than improved power generation performance and durability. Establishing technologies that enable stable-quality mass production and reducing production costs remain key challenges in the field.

Pattern-printing all functional layers with inkjet

The core of Ricoh's manufacturing approach is its long-established inkjet technology, encompassing printhead technology, ink supply technology, and printing system technology. Inkjet enables precise control of microscopic droplets, allowing the right amount of material to be deposited exactly where it is needed.

By using this capability to pattern-print all functional layers of perovskite solar cells, Ricoh aims to improve material utilization and streamline manufacturing processes, targeting high productivity and low-cost production.

Printer-era technology carries over

The initiative also draws on Ricoh's organic photoconductor technology, developed through the innovation of its multifunction printers. The company has pursued research and development of organic solar cells based on these technologies, and the know-how cultivated through those efforts is now being applied to perovskite solar cells.

Ricoh states it is leveraging both its long-established inkjet and organic photoconductor technologies to enhance cell performance and establish mass-production technologies.

Functional Printing as a growth strategy

The perovskite solar cell project sits within Ricoh's medium- to long-term growth strategy of commercializing "Functional Printing," the application of inkjet technologies developed through its commercial and industrial printing businesses to manufacturing processes such as the coating and deposition of functional materials.

Inkjet-printed perovskite solar cells are one of the projects being pursued under this initiative, and the company says it will continue to advance the commercialization of Functional Printing and cultivate new growth areas.

Building on NEDO Green Innovation Fund selection

This is not Ricoh's first government-backed endorsement in the field.

In September 2025, the company's technology development and demonstration project for inkjet-printed perovskite solar cells was selected for support under Japan's Green Innovation Fund, administered by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Following the new selection under the GX Supply Chain Development Support Program, Ricoh says it will build on the results of its research, development, and demonstration activities to advance toward mass production and commercialization, aiming to expand real-world deployment of perovskite solar cells.

The company also states it will contribute to strengthening Japan's industrial competitiveness in the GX field.

Ricoh's related activities in perovskite solar cells include installations on the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency cargo transfer spacecraft HTV-X1 and a consortium of Ricoh, Daiwa House, and NTT Anode Energy that was selected for the NEDO Green Innovation Fund.

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