Objective This project concerns the improvement of the cost effectiveness of monocrystalline silicon solar cells. This will be done by increasing cell efficiency, with the consideration that the increase in efficiency must not involve any increase in manufacturing costs above a certain level. Two new industrial cell structures will be developed and evaluated for the purpose, back etched screen printing (BESP) cells and Electro-Plated Grid (EPG) cells. The project objectives included some very ambitious targets for efficiency levels. Nevertheless these targets were achieved in most cases, or were very close to being achieved. For example, a process was developed to manufacture large monocrystalline cells based on screen printing. This resulted in the production of solar cells with 17.3% efficiency, against a target of 18%. Another important achievement was the development of low cost concentration cells based on the one sun commercial LGBG type cells investigated. These have permitted the development of a PV concentrator module that is now in the demonstration stage, and is expected to lead to significant cost reductions. The improvements in efficiency levels represent a huge success: at the start of the project, the European crystalline silicon solar cell industry lagged behind its American and Japanese rivals. The results from this project, MONOCHESS II, have helped the industry in Europe to bridge that technology gap.In the laboratory cells using the resources of microelectronics are to be developed, without regard to the cost, as a means of understanding high efficiency cell operation and of assessing the different processing steps to be included in industrial procedures. The project is also concerned with the development of low cost concentration cells, also, and here cells of a novel structure: the Laser Grooved Buried Grid (LGBG) cells, having already demonstrated their feasibility for solar applications will be developed for concentration. As in the preceding case all the resources of microelectronics will also be applied to the understanding of the operation of the cell under concentration and of assessing the possible fabrication steps. The cooperation is based on the distribution of tasks among the partners and the share of the results. Beyond this it provides a unique environment, worldwide, for mutual intellectual enrichment. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsmicroelectronicsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloidsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physics Programme(s) FP3-JOULE 2 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1990-1994 Topic(s) 030401 - Photovoltaic crystalline silicon cells Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator European Renewable Energy Centers Agency - Eurec Agency EEIG EU contribution No data Address 75,Kapeldreef 3001 Heverlee Belgium See on map Total cost No data Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all BP SOLAR LTD United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address CHERTSEY ROAD TW167XA SUNBURY-ON-THAMES See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data E.N.E. SA - ENERGIES NOUVELLES ET ENVIRONNEMENT Belgium EU contribution No data Address Avenue Van Der Meerschen 188 BRUXELLES See on map Total cost No data FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN E.V. Germany EU contribution No data Address Rüdower Chaussee 6 Geb. 18.46 - 17 12489 Berlin See on map Total cost No data FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.* Germany EU contribution No data Address Heidenhofstrasse 2 79110 FREIBURG (IN BREISGAU) See on map Total cost No data INTERUNIVERSITAIR MIKRO-ELEKTRONICA CENTRUM VZW Belgium EU contribution No data Address 75,Kapeldreef 75 3001 HEVERLEE See on map Total cost No data Siemens Solar GmbH Germany EU contribution No data Address Frankfurter Ring 152 80807 München See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID Spain EU contribution No data Address Ciudad Universitaria - ETSI Telecomunicacion 28040 MADRID See on map Total cost No data Universidad del Pais Vasco Spain EU contribution No data Address Alda. Urquijo s/n 48013 Bilbao See on map Total cost No data
