Project description
High-efficiency kesterite solar cells get a chance to shine
Building- and product-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV and PIPV) are identified as key enabling technologies to make 'near-zero energy buildings' and 'net-zero energy districts' a reality. The mass adoption of BIPV and PIPV solutions can only be achieved by developing cost-efficient and sustainable thin-film technologies with unbeatable aesthetic functionalities, mechanical flexibility and optical tunability. The EU-funded CUSTOM-ART project aims to develop the next generation of BIPV and PIPV modules based on abundant thin-film materials such as kesterites. The project will bring flexible and semi-transparent solar modules to a higher level of maturity (TRL 7), demonstrating very competitive conversion efficiencies (20 % at cell and 16 % at module levels) and increased durability (over 35 years), at a reduced production cost (less than EUR 75/m2).
Objective
CUSTOM-ART aims at developing the next generation of building and product integrated photovoltaic modules (BIPV and PIVP respectively), based on earth-abundant and fully sustainable thin film technologies. Nowadays, BIPV and PIPV are identified as key enabling technologies to make “near Zero Energy Buildings” and “net Zero Energy Districts” more realistic, through the integration of a new generation of photovoltaic modules capable of entirely replacing architectural/mobility/urban-furniture passive elements. This promising scenario of mass realisation of BIPV and PIPV solutions can only be achieved by developing cost-efficient and sustainable thin film technologies with unbeatable aesthetic functionalities, including mechanical flexibility and optical tuneability. Unfortunately, mature materials already available at the market such as Cu(In,Ga)Se2 or CdTe are formed by scarce and expensive elements (In, Ga and Te), or toxic ones (Cd).
Considering this, CUSTOM-ART will join for the first time a leading group of companies and academic partners all around Europe, to develop advanced BIPV and PIPV products (flexible and semi-transparent solar modules), based on earth abundant kesterite materials, which have been demonstrated in two previous European projects to be at the forefront of emerging inorganic thin film technologies. By combining advanced strategies for materials properties management, with customized modules design in a circular economy approach, two types of products will be developed including flexible PV modules (polymer and steel supports) and semi-transparent (polymer). CUSTOM-ART will bring these technologies from TRL4-5 up to TRL7, demonstrating very competitive conversion efficiencies (20% at cell and 16% at module level) and durability (over 35 years), at a reduced production cost (< 75 €/m2), using exclusively abundant elements and contributing to ensure the full sustainability and competitiveness of the European BIPV and PIPV Industry.
Fields of science
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and films
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyphotovoltaic
- engineering and technologycivil engineeringarchitecture engineeringsustainable architecturesustainable building
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
08930 Sant Adria De Besos
Spain
See on map
Participants (20)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
08034 Barcelona
See on map
3001 Leuven
See on map
8600 Dubendorf
See on map
12616 Tallinn
See on map
26129 Oldenburg
See on map
14109 Berlin
See on map
OX3 OBP Oxford
See on map
00196 Roma
See on map
01100 Bellignat
See on map
751 05 Uppsala
See on map
12618 Tallinn
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
1220 WIEN
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
06560 Valbonne
See on map
41092 Sevilla
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
41092 Sevilla
See on map
00197 Roma
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
6130 Schwaz
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
33600 Pessac
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
33170 Gradignan
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
6200 Jenbach
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.