Descrizione del progetto
Sviluppare nuove celle solari bifacciali ad alta efficienza
Le celle solari al seleniuro di rame indio gallio (CIGS, copper indium gallium selenide) hanno raggiunto un’impressionante efficienza (pari al 23%) se dotate di un contatto posteriore metallico, dimostrando un’eccellente stabilità; di conseguenza, la tecnologia CIGS è molto promettente in vista di ulteriori sviluppi e miglioramenti. Il progetto Hi-BITS, finanziato dall’UE, si è posto l’obiettivo di creare un’innovativa struttura di dispositivo all’avanguardia che preveda sia il riciclo dei fotoni che un’elevata bifaccialità, potenzialmente in grado di aumentare l’efficienza della celle solari CIGS fino alla notevole percentuale del 25 %. Basandosi su questo scopo, il progetto svilupperà quattro nuove applicazioni che sfruttano i vantaggi della bifaccialità e di altre caratteristiche integrate per incrementare ulteriormente l’efficienza. Inoltre, Hi-BITS cercherà di migliorare i componenti esistenti al fine di aumentare l’efficienza complessiva, rendendo queste celle solari particolarmente adatte a varie applicazioni, tra cui l’integrazione degli edifici, i veicoli e l’agricoltura.
Obiettivo
CIGS solar cells currently reach 23% efficiency with a metallic back contact and a >2µm thick absorber layer as well as excellent stability. Hi-BITS partners will introduce a disruptive device structure that allows a high degree of bifaciality and photon recycling. The efficiency will be improved beyond 25% by the innovative high quality CIGS absorbers and passivation at the back contact, which allows to remove compositional gradients and reduce absorber thickness. Hi-BITS will explore four different applications, that all use these features, including bi-faciality, flexible and reflective, semi-transparency and suitability for tandems. While the bi-faciality will harvest stray light reflected from the ground, and thereby increase the yearly yield, the reflective and flexible will enable photon recycling for light-weight modules. The necessary back reflector is easily integrated into the bifacial Hi-BITS cells. To close the gap in efficiency between large area modules and record cells, Hi-BITS will improve monolithic integration to increase the productive area of the module, and the semi-conductor quality by fast-feed-back methods fit for industrial processes. The applications foreseen as results from Hi-BITS respond to market demands and are particularly well suited for building or vehicle integration or agri-photovoltaics. Modules for these new applications will be out-door tested in three different European climates demonstrating higher energy yield and stability. Life cycle analysis and costing, taking aspects of circularity into account, will underline the superior sustainability of these new modules. Hi-BITS includes 5 European PV manufacturers, will improve a technology that does not depend on imports of ingots or wafers, reinforcing the European PV value chain. The results will boost thin-film manufacturing by higher efficiency, lower raw material consumption, shorter and well-controlled processes, better module technologies and novel applications.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and films
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssemiconductivity
- natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotons
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinatore
4715-330 Braga
Portogallo