Project description
Studying solar power’s star material
The more efficient the photovoltaic (PV) solar panel, the greater the uptake and lower the cost. This is good news considering the big role this renewable energy source is playing in the worldwide transition to more sustainable sources of energy. The ERC-funded PM2PV project will test a new technology – a photon multiplication film (PMF). It uses a process called singlet fission to convert high energy photons into double the number of low energy photons. This can increase efficiency of the best Si-PVs by 20 %. Another advantage is that the output of the PMF, which is photons, can be directed towards the PV cell without any change in cell design.
Objective
Photovoltaics (PVs) cells will play a major role in the worldwide transition to more sustainable sources of energy. There has been a vast scale up in the deployment of PV cells driven by the drastic price reduction of Si photovoltaics (Si-PVs). It is now widely accepted that increases in PV efficiency are key to pushing PV deployment further and continuing to lower costs. However, after decades of research and development Si-PVs are approaching the theoretical limit for power conversion efficiencies (currently 26.7% out of a possible 29.4%) as determined by the Shockley-Queisser limit, due to thermalisation losses. There is currently no commercially deployed technology and can overcome this challenge.
This project will make a proof of concept demonstration of a new technology – a photon multiplication film (PMF), which overcomes these fundamental thermalisation losses by converting high energy photons into double the number of low energy photons using a process called singlet fission. A PMF film could raise the efficiency of the best Si-PVs from 26.7% to 32.5% (a 20% increase in efficiency). This all optical approach has several advantages over other technologies currently being researched such as tandem cells. For instance, since the output of the PMF is photons, they can be directed towards the PV cell without any change in cell design, making it a ‘drop in’ solution, compatible with 95% of current PV manufacturing capacity as well as future designs and hence requiring little or no change to current manufacturing lines and hence very low capital expense. This PoC project will produce a prototype PMF integrated on top of a Si-PV and demonstrate a gain in power conversion efficiency, thus opening up a new technological area, which will help deliver both economic, societal and environmental benefits.
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 photovoltaic
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics photons
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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.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant
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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-2020-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.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
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.