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Next Generation Indoor Light Harvesting: Wireless power for Wireless IoT Sensors

Project description

Lighting the way with printable PV modules

Light harvesting technology refers to materials and molecules that capture photons of solar light for energy applications. This new technology shows great promise for areas using traditional batteries such as networked devices connected with the Internet of Things (IoT). The EU-funded Epishine LEH project aims to bring to market the first organic printable photovoltaic module for indoor light energy harvesting even in ultra-low illumination conditions. The new material can perform in various applications. Ultra-efficient in low illumination, cheap in production and performance, it can power numerous indoor wireless devices and will be a game-changer in solar power of the future.

Objective

The IoT revolution has created an explosion in affordable, networked devices, with some trillions of connected sensors anticipated by 2025. Cost-effectiveness is one of the main roadblocks limiting ubiquitous sensor deployment, particularly indoors; a roadblock that the IoT sensor industry has a strong need to remove. Indoor sensors need batteries, which must be replaced. Energy harvesting can extend battery lifetimes, but current energy harvesting solutions do not produce enough power: thermal/motion solutions are not applicable for most IoT sensors, and photovoltaics are inefficient at low light conditions.
Swedish green startup Epishine have produced the world’s first metal-free organic reel-to-reel printable PV module for indoor light energy harvesting in ultra-low illumination.
Our ultra-light, ultra-thin, flexible material has a wide range of applications. Its world-leading efficiency at low illumination levels verified by a third party as (>65% better than closest competition at 50 lux), and its low production costs, enable a best-in-class market entry price (€1 for a 20 cm2 module) and performance. This makes our Light Energy Harvesting (LEH) Modules uniquely suited for powering the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution. This fills a critical gap in the market, enabling a step-change in operating costs and deployment scales for IoT sensors.
We will power the indoor wireless revolution today, and revolutionise solar power tomorrow.
This project is the first step in an accelerated commercialisation process, to bring the Epishine Light Energy Harvesting (LEH) Module to a successful market entry with IoT sensor developers within 3 years. Our goal of 25M IoT Energy Harvesting modules/year by 2024 will create €100M revenue and 288 jobs for Epishine, and an additional 234 jobs in the production ecosystem. Installing this number of LEH modules will avoid over 614M battery replacements during sensor lifetimes, saving 494t of CO2-eq.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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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.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

EPISHINE AB
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 2 328 044,25
Address
WAHLBECKSGATEN 25
582 13 Linkoping
Sweden

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Östra Sverige Östra Mellansverige Östergötlands län
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

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.

€ 3 325 777,50
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