New project by Dutch-German consortium to create simplified tandem solar modules for European market

• TNO, in cooperation with Dutch and German commercial companions, is advancing a perovskite/silicon tandem solar module suitable for very early market introduction.

FIT4Market, a four-year research study project supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), will help drive CO2 decrease with to 2030, supporting nationwide climate purposes. It is additionally an action in the direction of bringing PV manufacturing back to Europe and rebuilding a competitive PV supply chain.

The project focuses on establishing a streamlined strategy of the tandem technology to accelerate market introduction. This consists of building on the experience the partners have obtained thus far and minimizing the processing complexity.

" The purpose of the collaborative FIT4Market research study project is to recognize best-practice two-terminal cell development utilizing perovskite and also silicon cells in order to establish tandem modules with an affordable LCOE and industry-leading reliability as well as performance," claims Jorg Muller, Head of cell R&D at Qcells. "Qcells will supply its silicon cell expertise to the project, with our Benelux group overseeing field-testing to measure real world energy performance as well as yield."

Maarten Ribbens, Head of Benelux, claimed: "Qcells present market setting is a result of a deep understanding of the addressable market and also customer needs. We are extremely excited and also satisfied to be part of this consortium to support the development of this novel solar technology. "

TNO has actually been creating its tandem technology because 2016 and a handful of commercial companions ultimately want to release this technology in mass production. Nevertheless, tandem PV module technology requires more development at pertinent scale prior to it is industry-ready for introduction into the marketplace.

"The monolithic tandem cell technology utilized in this project is based on business PERC c-Si cells with planar front side, staying clear of complexity in handling silicon surface appearance. The modules will likewise be bifacial, to boost the current and energy yield and, in addition, will feature a glass-glass encapsulation for protection of the perovskite cells versus moisture", stated Gianluca Coletti, program supervisor of Tandem Technology and Applications at TNO.

The FIT4Market project will validate that tandem module based upon presently made use of PERC bottom cells are industrially manufacturable, competitive in efficiency and also price and also competitive in stability. Better, field tests will certainly provide data to enhance bankability; and the project will certainly likewise engage with end-users of the new technology. The Dutch PV market is particularly eager for innovative products due to restricted availability of land in the Netherlands, and the possibility to efficiently use industrial rooftops for power generation. All these will provide support for more deployment of the technology in Europe. It is anticipated that therefore, PV module power conversion efficiency can get to over 300Wp/m2 (conventional modules today do in the lower 200Wp/m2 range).

The FIT4Market consortium combines proficiency and also understanding from Dutch as well as German companies. TNO acts as the coordinator of the project and will certainly better create huge area perovskite on silicon bottom cells. SMIT Thermal Solutions will establish a model framework for scaling further to multi-wafer processing. A screen-printed leading contact will certainly be added. This perovskite process integrates an atomic layer deposition action contributed by Levitech. Qcells will provide the bottom cells, with payments by Tempress and TNO for the emitter technology. TNO will apply commercial module interconnection and encapsulation compatible with perovskite needs. Yparex will certainly optimize encapsulants for finest compatibility with the perovskite product buildings. Additionally, Qcells Benelux will examine the tandem laminates in the field.

The project is co-funded by the Topsector Energy aid of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

In 2022, Qcells and a European research team (led by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB)) jointly established a pilot production line for silicon-perovskite tandem cells in Thalheim, Germany. The project intends to quicken the technology's mass production and also market infiltration. The project started on 1 November.