Project description
Taking solar windows to a whole new level
Transparent solar cells in windows are already possible. But up to now, they have not been sufficiently effective in converting sunlight into electricity. The EU-funded CITYSOLAR project aims to change this by combining two photovoltaic technologies in a tandem configuration. Specifically, CITYSOLAR will develop multi-junction solar cells that are optimised to absorb different wavelengths of sunlight by bringing together new perovskite solar cells that have a high energy gap with organic solar cells that are free of fullerenes and have a low energy gap. This will pave the way for highly transparent solar cells that absorb infrared and ultraviolet light but not visible light, leading to a conversion efficiency of over 15 %.
Objective
Transparent photovoltaics (TPV) possesses a huge untapped potential in the harvesting of solar energy where it readily can be embedded in buildings applications worldwide to significant reduce CO2 emissions, and support the needed development of nearly zero-energy buildings. TPV will increase the utilization of renewable energy directly where it is needed, and play a crucial role for the sustainable transformation of the energy sector in large cities. Using conventional photovoltaics, however, it is not possible to fabricate TPV elements without severe losses in efficiency and/or visual light transmittance. In the CITYSOLAR project, a new breakthrough concept for TPV will be developed by exploiting the combined use of emerging technologies, namely multi-junction solar modules developed from near-ultraviolet perovskite and near-infrared organic solar cells. Using advanced concepts within light management such as photonic crystals, nanophotonics and photon recycling and advanced module integration schemes, CITYSOLAR will radically change performance limits for TPV by significantly reducing losses related to light absorption and scale-up from individual solar cells to multi-junction modules. CITYSOLAR brings together world-leading European academic and industrial players, some with key intellectual property, together with two non-EU partners belonging to Mission Innovation countries specialized in the synthesis of advanced materials for hybrid and organic solar cells. The consortium will develop highly efficient and transparent solar cells and modules to increase the performance of available TPV technologies by 50%, and via innovative integration schemes present a route for its use in building integrated PV (BIPV) applications. This represents a strategic sector for Europe and an opportunity to accelerate and reduce the cost of the next generation of sustainable renewable energy technologies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes recycling
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nanophotonics
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy solar energy photovoltaic
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics photons
- engineering and technology civil engineering architecture engineering sustainable architecture sustainable building
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.3.3. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3.3.2. - Low-cost, low-carbon energy supply
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
RIA - Research and Innovation action
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-LC-SC3-2018-2019-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
00185 Roma
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.