Project description
Stretchable solar foils for versatile energy generation
The urgent need for CO2-neutral energy is driving the adoption of photovoltaic (PV) technology. However, in densely populated areas, land scarcity makes it crucial to integrate PV systems into buildings and urban environments. While flexible PV sheets exist, they lack the ability to stretch, limiting their use in applications under mechanical stress, such as architectural textiles. Current PV foils can bend and roll but cannot elongate. The ERC-funded StreP project aims to solve this limitation by developing stretchable interconnections between solar cells. Using patented technology, it enables PV foils to elongate by up to 10 %, making them suitable for tents in refugee camps, agricultural PV solutions, and large-scale architectural structures.
Objective
CO2 neutral energy generation is needed for climate change. PV can solve a large portion of this need. In densely populated areas, the
use of land is scarce and therefore PV integrated in the built and living environment is preferred to make double use of land area.
Flexible PV sheets already exist, but the present PV sheets cannot be stretched or elongated like textile that is placed under stress. The
existing PV sheets can be rolled and bended, but not elongated, which is important when the PV sheets would be integrated into e.g.
the architectural textile. This project aims to solve this problem by making the interconnection between the solar cells stretchable.
This would open many opportunities to integrate these PV foils in applications where the flexible sheets are placed under severe
mechanical stress or tension.
In this project we will use flexible CIGS PV cells, which are also used in the present flexible PV modules. To allow stretching of the foil
under mechanical stress, it requires a special interconnection technology. A patent pending technology has been developed to create
a series interconnection between the flexible solar cells, that at the same time can be stretched several millimeters, so that an
elongation of 3 to 10% of the PV foil would become possible.
This would be new and opens the possibility to integrate the PV foil in any tent-like structure. Applications we foresee are:
- PV integrated in tents for refugee camps. Integration of the PV on the tents itself, will create immediately energy generation at the
moment of setting up the tents.
- Agricultural PV is a fast-expanding PV segment. For this application, the resistance to wind pressure is an important factor and
stretchable PV would be a solution to overcome that problem.
- Architectural textile is used for making domes to cover sport or other large infrastructure (with dimensions up to 600m x 400m).
These large roof surfaces would be ideal to generate part of the CO2 neutral energy.
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 materials engineering textiles
- social sciences sociology demography human migrations
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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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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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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.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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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) ERC-2023-POC
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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.
3500 Hasselt
Belgium
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.