New Time aims to bring perovskite panel production to Italy

Acceleration in photovoltaics for New Time of Forlì: the company, founded in 2004 and active in the production of high-end panoramic windows, pergolas and fixtures, focuses on architectural solutions combined with energy production. Specifically, it has developed three new products: floors, glass tiles for roofs and glass for parapets and curtain walls, all photovoltaic. "We have already sold the first floors and in September we will start the installations. We are in the process of certifying the roof tiles and will also present them in September, as a solution especially for the transition of historical centres where solar panels cannot be installed. For transparent photovoltaic glass, we have started to have contacts for the first projects, also abroad,' says founder and sole director Paolo Cimatti: 'There is a lot of demand for the latter.

For the development of these innovations, in the area of photovoltaic technology, New Time is collaborating with Chinese companies, which are known to be at the forefront of the subject. With one in particular, the collaboration goes beyond product innovation: 'With Huasun, the world's leading producer of photovoltaic cells, we signed an agreement in May. The aim is to implement in Italy a production line with a capacity of 1 GW of the latest generation of solar panels: HJT cells (hetero junction technology, ed.) with layers of perovskite, a family of synthetic materials derived from elements widely available in Italy and Europe, which would solve the problem of dependence on silicon from major non-EU suppliers such as China, Peru and Bolivia. For truly local production. For this new pole, we are negotiating the purchase of two new plants, both in Romagna, to start production in the third quarter of 2026'. The agreement with Huasun envisages the start-up of a technology transfer programme with the sending of Italian engineers to China to bring skills back to Italy.

In May, the Emilia-Romagna Region gave its green light to the 25.5 million investment plan submitted by New Time to Mimit, with a procedure managed by Invitalia, to access a public contribution of 6.4 million. In detail, EUR 8.3 million will be earmarked for the Budrio (Bologna) plant, dedicated to the processing of special glass for the new product lines; EUR 15.7 million will concern the San Lazzaro di Savena (Bologna) facility, destined to become the main production hub for the assembly phases of the new products (roofing tiles and flooring), and to house the central research and development activities; finally, EUR 1 million will go to the redevelopment of the Forlì headquarters, which houses the offices and showroom.

"The initial investment in Budrio amounted to EUR 18.5 million, adding the 25.5 of the project submitted to Invitalia and the economic commitment for the new perovskite panel production facilities with Huasun we arrive at around EUR 50 million in the period 2022-2026," explains Cimatti: "With our traditional business, which has continued to grow over the years, we have exceeded EUR 110 million in turnover in 2024. We are now focusing on new products. We have acquired disused factories that we are modernising. And for future developments we also envisage an important employment spin-off. Today we have 600 collaborators and 250 employees, which will become around 300 by 2026, between the Budrio and San Lazzaro sites. Not counting the 70-100 that will be needed for the new perovskite pole'.