Key Findings
- Indoor solar films are ultra-thin photovoltaic films designed to harvest ambient indoor light to generate electricity.
- These films enable energy-autonomous operation of IoT devices, sensors, and smart labels in indoor environments.
- Emerging materials include organic photovoltaics (OPVs), perovskites, and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) optimized for indoor light spectra.
- Key use cases include retail displays, electronic shelf labels (ESLs), asset trackers, remote sensors, and smart home systems.
- The market is driven by the proliferation of battery-free and self-powered electronics across industrial and commercial settings.
- Adoption is gaining momentum in regions with high smart retail penetration, such as North America, Europe, and East Asia.
- Leading players include Dracula Technologies, Epishine, Ambient Photonics, and Ricoh.
- Innovations are focused on printable, flexible, and transparent indoor solar films compatible with existing device footprints.
- Partnerships between device OEMs and PV material startups are accelerating commercialization.
- Indoor solar films are central to achieving sustainable and maintenance-free energy solutions in IoT ecosystems.
Market Overview
Indoor solar films provide a low-maintenance, sustainable alternative to replace batteries in indoor electronics. These films convert ambient artificial lighting, such as LED or fluorescent lights, into usable electrical energy with optimized spectral response. With increasing demand for connected, maintenance-free devices in retail, logistics, and smart buildings, indoor solar films present a scalable power solution. The technology is especially valuable in applications requiring long lifespan, limited access for maintenance, or large-scale sensor deployment.
Unlike traditional solar cells, indoor solar films are designed for low light conditions, offering efficiency under 200–1000 lux environments. Their thin, flexible, and printable formats make them easily integrable into devices like ESLs, temperature loggers, asset tags, and smart thermostats. As global efforts shift toward greener electronics and IoT proliferation intensifies, indoor solar films are becoming essential in designing autonomous and energy-efficient systems.
Indoor Solar Films Market Size and Forecast
The global indoor solar films market was valued at USD 120 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 580 million by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 30.1% during the forecast period.
The strong growth trajectory is fueled by increased demand for battery-free IoT devices, cost reductions in printed solar technologies, and greater integration with smart retail and industrial automation. Enhanced material performance and scalable manufacturing platforms are accelerating mainstream adoption. Government support for sustainable electronics and corporate sustainability goals are further boosting demand across sectors including logistics, smart homes, and healthcare.
Future Outlook
Over the next five years, indoor solar films are expected to transform how indoor IoT devices are powered. With increasing device densities and a focus on sustainability, the industry will see a transition from battery-reliant systems to energy-harvesting platforms.
Key developments will include breakthroughs in perovskite and organic PV efficiencies under low-light, advancements in printed and roll-to-roll manufacturing, and widespread OEM adoption in wearables and smart infrastructure. Indoor solar films will become integral to net-zero energy building designs and supply chain digitization strategies. Collaboration between semiconductor firms, sensor manufacturers, and solar startups will drive innovation and cost reductions, leading to mass deployment across multiple industries.
Indoor Solar Films Market Trends
- Battery-Free IoT Proliferation: The rapid rise in battery-less sensors and ESLs for smart retail and logistics is driving demand for indoor solar films that can autonomously power these devices without replacement or recharging cycles. This trend supports longer product lifetimes and reduced operational disruptions, especially in densely deployed networks.
- Printable and Flexible Film Development: New printing techniques enable ultra-thin, flexible solar films that can conform to curved surfaces and non-planar objects. This is expanding use cases in product packaging, smart labels, and textile integration, where rigid modules are not viable.
- Integration with Smart Infrastructure: Smart buildings, HVAC systems, and ambient monitoring networks are increasingly incorporating indoor solar films to enable wireless, maintenance-free operation. This aligns with green building standards and reduces wiring and battery maintenance costs.
- Retail and Supply Chain Optimization: Indoor solar films are powering ESLs, asset trackers, and digital signage within retail stores and warehouses, helping automate inventory and reduce labor. Retailers are leveraging this to support data-rich, real-time decision-making without the need for power retrofitting.
Market Growth Drivers
- Increased Demand for Autonomous IoT Devices: As IoT penetration deepens in buildings, warehouses, and public infrastructure, the need for self-sufficient, wire-free power solutions is growing. Indoor solar films enable such autonomy, reducing maintenance overhead and environmental impact.
- Advancements in Light-Harvesting Materials:Material innovations in organic, hybrid, and perovskite-based photovoltaics are significantly improving conversion efficiencies under indoor lighting conditions. This makes solar film integration viable across a wide range of light-intensity environments.
- Push for Sustainable Electronics: Regulatory pressures and corporate ESG targets are driving a shift toward low-waste, long-life electronic devices. Replacing disposable batteries with indoor solar power aligns with circular economy principles and sustainability initiatives.
- Commercial Readiness of Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing: High-throughput, scalable manufacturing methods such as roll-to-roll printing are making solar films more cost-effective. This mass-producibility is crucial for integration into millions of sensors, tags, and consumer products.
Challenges in the Market
- Efficiency Limitations under Varying Light: Maintaining consistent performance across different indoor lighting conditions, angles, and intensities remains a challenge. Efficiency degradation under sub-optimal conditions can limit reliability for some use cases.
- Limited Awareness Among OEMs:Many device manufacturers are still unfamiliar with the capabilities and compatibility of indoor solar films. This slows down design integration and delays commercialization.
- Competition from Long-Life Batteries:Advances in lithium-based and solid-state batteries offer stiff competition for indoor applications. For certain low-frequency or intermittent-use devices, traditional batteries still provide a lower-cost power source.
- Material Stability and Longevity: Some materials, particularly early-stage perovskites and certain organic compounds, face challenges in maintaining performance over multi-year lifespans under real-world indoor conditions. Stability concerns hinder qualification in mission-critical environments.
Indoor Solar Films Market Segmentation
By Material Type
- Organic Photovoltaics (OPVs)
- Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs)
- Perovskite Solar Films
- Amorphous Silicon
- Hybrid Thin Films
By Application
- Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs)
- Indoor Sensors and Asset Trackers
- Smart Home Devices
- Wearable Electronics
- Smart Packaging and Labels
- Healthcare Monitoring Systems
By End-Use Industry
- Retail
- Logistics and Warehousing
- Consumer Electronics
- Smart Buildings and Infrastructure
- Healthcare
- Industrial Automation
By Region
- North America
- Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- Rest of the World
Leading Players
- Dracula Technologies
- Epishine AB
- Ambient Photonics
- Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Panasonic Corporation
- Saule Technologies
- InfinityPV
- FlexSolar Cells
- Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation
- Heliatek GmbH
Recent Developments
- Epishine AB launched a new generation of OPV modules tailored for ESLs and indoor sensors with improved indoor efficiency.
- Dracula Technologies secured OEM partnerships for integrating solar films into wireless temperature loggers for pharmaceuticals.
- Ambient Photonics raised a new round of funding to expand U.S.-based manufacturing facilities for printed PV films.
- Ricoh demonstrated new perovskite-based indoor cells for asset tracking applications in logistics centers.
- Saule Technologies unveiled a transparent indoor solar film for smart windows and retail displays.
