FLEXIBLE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS AND MODULES WITH ENHANCED PERFORMANCE FOR EFFICIENT LIGHT HARVESTING IN OUTER SPACE

Project Information

JUMP INTO SPACE

Grant agreement ID: 101162377

DOI

10.3030/101162377

EC signature date 13 June 2024

Start date 1 October 2024

End date 30 September 2028

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 3 993 001,25

EU contribution

€ 3 993 001,25

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - JUMP INTO SPACE (FLEXIBLE LIGHTWEIGHT MULTI-JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS AND MODULES WITH ENHANCED PERFORMANCE FOR EFFICIENT LIGHT HARVESTING IN OUTER SPACE)

Reporting period: 2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The exponential growth of satellite launches and, in general, of in-orbit activities calls for technological breakthroughs in cost-effective solar energy harvesting technologies for Space deployment.
JUMP INTO SPACE envisions a high-efficient, lightweight and flexible, stable and sustainable alternative to currently available photovoltaic systems for in-space energy harvesting, via an unexplored synergetic coupling of groundbreaking concepts.
All-perovskite tandem solar cells, based on advanced contact materials and finely tuned perovskite absorbers, will be developed to ensure high efficiency (30% at AM0, but capable of overcoming the single-junction Shockley–Queisser limit). The devices will be endowed with a pioneering, lightweight and flexible, multi-purpose photonic substrate, designed and optimized to embody the dual function of environment shielding and light management boost, while being remarkably stable against high-energy radiation and atomic oxygen erosion. The optimized all-perovskite tandem solar cells will be manufactured on the multi-purpose photonic substrates and thoroughly tested to deliver unprecedentedly high specific power and prove their stability for Space operation in low-orbit conditions.
JUMP INTO SPACE all-perovskite tandem cells on innovative multi-purpose photonic flexible substrates will be game-changers for the next generation of Space Solar Power, e.g. allowing lightweight stowing in rollable platforms, for powering novel propulsion apparatus for in-space mobility and a wide range of spacecrafts and applications.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During this first year of the project, as first step, we defined the list of operational conditions in LEO relevant for JUMP technology​ together with the testing protocols to be used during the project​. Furthermore, we identified the cell stack, materials and manufacturing processes​ to be used during the continuation of the project. We evaluated using Life Cycle assesment (LCA) the environmental impacts of state-of-the art reference stack. For the multipurpose substrate we performed the optical optimization throught the modelling of the planar and light trapping of the tandem solar cells. We also started the testing on the ​fabrication of the substrate testing the porosification with heavy ions process cobined with hot embossing demonstrated. Colloidal lithography has been done successfully on PET/ITO substrates​.
​Preliminary experiments on tandem configuration on rigid and flexible substrates have been done.
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Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

- New multipurpose substrates: this type of substrates that are suitable for space applications copuld be used not only for perovskite solare cells and modules, but also for other flexible technologies considered for space applications such as CIGS. The light management structures allow a better exploitation of the full solar spectrum will representing a substantial advance in the scientific field related to materials science, physics, chemistry and engineering that could be applied not only on space-based PV technology, but also on ground level technology.
- Evaluation of LCA on state of the art stack: This approach will be developed in the next years of the project to guide and implement the fabrication process, contributing to speed up the transition to a carbon-neutral society.