Project description
Boosting power output in solar cells with transparent metal contacts
In solar cells, the flat metal contacts used to convert sunlight to electricity cover 5 % of the solar cell’s surface. This prevents some sunlight from reaching the cell’s active area, leading to performance loss in most commercial solar cells. To address this problem, the EU-funded ETC Solarshade project intends to make use of patented effectively transparent contacts (ETCs) that eliminate shading losses, boosting solar cell power output by 5 %. To this end, it will commercially launch ETCs in a small market area and sell the ETC printing tool directly to solar cell manufacturers. By promoting more efficient solar power technology, the project has the potential to further the widespread use of renewable energy.
Objective
Solar cells use metal contacts to convert sunlight into electricity. Flat metal contacts typically cover 5% of the solar cell front surface, blocking some incoming sunlight from reaching the active area of the solar cell. This shading loss is the largest single contributor to performance loss in 95% of commercial solar cells.
Excellence
ETC Solar has developed Effectively Transparent Contacts (ETCs) that eliminate shading losses. Unlike incumbent technologies, our patented ETCs efficiently redirect sunlight back to the active area of solar cells. ECTs achieve optical transparency of 99.9%, offer excellent conductivity and boost solar cell power output by 5%: they are the world’s highest performing front contact technology. We developed and built a specialist printing tool to integrate ETCs directly onto solar cells.
Impact
In this project, we will commercially launch ETCs in our beachhead market, III-V solar cells – widely used in satellites, aerospace, cars and consumer products. We will sell the ETC printing tool directly to solar cell manufacturers. The total III-V solar cell market size is €9BN; the Serviceable Addressable Market is €235M, plus annual recurring revenues of €36M for consumables.
Implementation
The founding team includes experts in solar energy the US and Europé, and the founder of the world’s largest III-V solar cell manufacturer. This project will transition our working prototype into commercial production. Our global sales funnel already includes two conditional orders, four ongoing customer pilot tests and 19 potential customers who have expressed strong interest in adopting ETC technology.
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 environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy solar energy
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering satellite technology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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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H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
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H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
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Topic(s)
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.
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.
SME - SME instrument
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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) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020
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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.
3029 AK Rotterdam
Netherlands
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
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.