Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PILATUS (Digitalised pilot lines for silicon heterojunction tunnel interdigitated back contact solar cells and modules)
Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2024-04-30
The PILATUS project is working on developing and demonstrating wafer, cell, and module pilot production lines for Silicon Heterojunction tunnel-Interdigitated Back-Contact (SHJ-IBC) technology. We are aiming to prove the scalability of this EU created and owned technology for sustainable, cost-competitive, high-performance solar wafers, cells, and modules.
The main project objectives are:
- Develop and demonstrate the high-volume production of high-efficiency SHJ tunnel-IBC solar cells and modules in pilot-lines equipped with high-level automation.
- Develop the industrial tools, processes and materials for the SHJ tunnel-IBC pilot lines thereby strengthening the European PV knowledge base and supply chain.
- Demonstrate good traceability from wafer level to PV module’s field installation combined with the automation and feedback loops to pilot lines.
- Validate the performance of the PV cells and modules from the SHJ tunnel-IBC pilot lines.
- Eco-design of tunnel-IBC PV modules and manufacturing lines toward zero-waste via life-cycle assessments and developing optimisation roadmaps.
- Document and pre-certify the PV cell and module performance to ensure replicability and further scalability of the production capacity.
- Demonstrate favorable cost/Wp of the SHJ-IBC modules compared to state-of-the-art commercially available PV modules and proof the potential of business cases towards special product applications.
The main project objectives are:
- Develop and demonstrate the high-volume production of high-efficiency SHJ tunnel-IBC solar cells and modules in pilot-lines equipped with high-level automation.
- Develop the industrial tools, processes and materials for the SHJ tunnel-IBC pilot lines thereby strengthening the European PV knowledge base and supply chain.
- Demonstrate good traceability from wafer level to PV module’s field installation combined with the automation and feedback loops to pilot lines.
- Validate the performance of the PV cells and modules from the SHJ tunnel-IBC pilot lines.
- Eco-design of tunnel-IBC PV modules and manufacturing lines toward zero-waste via life-cycle assessments and developing optimisation roadmaps.
- Document and pre-certify the PV cell and module performance to ensure replicability and further scalability of the production capacity.
- Demonstrate favorable cost/Wp of the SHJ-IBC modules compared to state-of-the-art commercially available PV modules and proof the potential of business cases towards special product applications.
During the first reporting period, several steps have been taken towards the achievement of the planned targets. In particular, for the part related to:
- Wafer and cell pilot line (WP2) research was performed on the development and qualification of materials and processes for cost-effective, high-efficient and reliable tunnel-IBC solar cells. In addition, main new (part of) equipment have been designed and are now under development, procurement incl. automation for: the Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) , wet bench, and tester & sorter. Process transfer from lab (MBR) to industrial environment (pilot line at MBG) has been established. The development towards cell efficiency (CE) of approx. 25% (as reached in lab environment) is still in progress.
With respect to the wafer line, there has been some delay due to the termination of the partner Norwegian Crystal and replacement by NorSun. Nevertheless, an assessment took place for new equipment procurement versus conversion of existing M6 equipment in terms of specified production equipment capability, restrictions and capacity, risk assessment for M10 project, development of work plan and project execution schedule.
- Module pilot line (WP3) the first full size IBC module produced on module pilot line has been realized with success using M6 half cells (Linked to milestone MS03). The prototype roll-to-roll unit (IBC-RRU) was finished and passed the factory acceptance test, while the lay-up and soldering machines were commissioned to achieve the above-mentioned milestone. This WP also focuses on Bill of Materials (BoM) development to achieve high module performance and reliability, and the first extended reliability tests of IBC modules showed an impressive stability passing >8 times the IEC standard in damp heat, thermal cycling and humidity. On this initial reliability tests, the technology and BoM can be further pushed.
- Metrology and Reliability studies (WP4) tools for inline inspection and metrology have been developed and tested, while preparations (incl. selection and procurement of reference PV modules) were done by the outdoor testing partners to be ready to receive the PILATUS modules for outdoor testing. Partner EPFL has received the first modules and has started outdoor testing, with also indoor characterisation at regular intervals.
- Digitalisation and automation, Industry 4.0 (WP5) the new PILATUS infrastructure has been setup and connectors were installed by partners with help of CSEM. Causal Analysis software has been provided by CSEM both to MBR and to MBG, with two different front end implementations to suit MB entities specific needs. Both are installed and deployed. Predictive maintenance software to detect crack pattern issues in real time on the stringer has been provided by CSEM to MBCH.
- Sustainability, circularity & environment impact (WP6) During the first half of the project, the partners involved in the development of the technology have provided most of the required data for the eco-design (cradle-to-gate LCA) of the three pilot lines: wafers, cells and modules for an initial Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The data gathered was shared for the evaluation of resource availability and circularity. Besides that, different material combinations have been tested and validated for the highly circular module demonstration.
- Bankability, business model & roadmap towards GW-fabs (WP7) PV market and challenges have been and are continuously monitored (for the IBC market). The LCOE simulation based on Capex, Opex, module lifetime and degradation was done showing that at this stage the tunnel-IBC technology can be manufactured in Europe with an optimised BoM at cell level close to TopCon solar cells in China, but the general inflation rate (affecting energy and labour costs) increase the material and production costs at module level.
- Wafer and cell pilot line (WP2) research was performed on the development and qualification of materials and processes for cost-effective, high-efficient and reliable tunnel-IBC solar cells. In addition, main new (part of) equipment have been designed and are now under development, procurement incl. automation for: the Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) , wet bench, and tester & sorter. Process transfer from lab (MBR) to industrial environment (pilot line at MBG) has been established. The development towards cell efficiency (CE) of approx. 25% (as reached in lab environment) is still in progress.
With respect to the wafer line, there has been some delay due to the termination of the partner Norwegian Crystal and replacement by NorSun. Nevertheless, an assessment took place for new equipment procurement versus conversion of existing M6 equipment in terms of specified production equipment capability, restrictions and capacity, risk assessment for M10 project, development of work plan and project execution schedule.
- Module pilot line (WP3) the first full size IBC module produced on module pilot line has been realized with success using M6 half cells (Linked to milestone MS03). The prototype roll-to-roll unit (IBC-RRU) was finished and passed the factory acceptance test, while the lay-up and soldering machines were commissioned to achieve the above-mentioned milestone. This WP also focuses on Bill of Materials (BoM) development to achieve high module performance and reliability, and the first extended reliability tests of IBC modules showed an impressive stability passing >8 times the IEC standard in damp heat, thermal cycling and humidity. On this initial reliability tests, the technology and BoM can be further pushed.
- Metrology and Reliability studies (WP4) tools for inline inspection and metrology have been developed and tested, while preparations (incl. selection and procurement of reference PV modules) were done by the outdoor testing partners to be ready to receive the PILATUS modules for outdoor testing. Partner EPFL has received the first modules and has started outdoor testing, with also indoor characterisation at regular intervals.
- Digitalisation and automation, Industry 4.0 (WP5) the new PILATUS infrastructure has been setup and connectors were installed by partners with help of CSEM. Causal Analysis software has been provided by CSEM both to MBR and to MBG, with two different front end implementations to suit MB entities specific needs. Both are installed and deployed. Predictive maintenance software to detect crack pattern issues in real time on the stringer has been provided by CSEM to MBCH.
- Sustainability, circularity & environment impact (WP6) During the first half of the project, the partners involved in the development of the technology have provided most of the required data for the eco-design (cradle-to-gate LCA) of the three pilot lines: wafers, cells and modules for an initial Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The data gathered was shared for the evaluation of resource availability and circularity. Besides that, different material combinations have been tested and validated for the highly circular module demonstration.
- Bankability, business model & roadmap towards GW-fabs (WP7) PV market and challenges have been and are continuously monitored (for the IBC market). The LCOE simulation based on Capex, Opex, module lifetime and degradation was done showing that at this stage the tunnel-IBC technology can be manufactured in Europe with an optimised BoM at cell level close to TopCon solar cells in China, but the general inflation rate (affecting energy and labour costs) increase the material and production costs at module level.
With respect to the project general expected impact, PILATUS is still aiming to develop and demonstrate ≥170 MW capacity SHJ tunnel-IBC cell production in Germany and module production in Switzerland, but can only have market-competitive pricing if policies related to carbon footprint in the pricing are considered (avoiding that the low prices of PV products from China dominate the overall average price on the European market). This will be accompanied with a M10 wafer pilot production line in Norway. Innovations and a technical roadmap to improve performance, environmental impact, and reduced costs will maintain manufacturing in the long term in order to retain the whole value chain in Europe.