Objective
Cost reduction and added value are essential for large-scale introduction of PV modules. The innovative approach of using crystalline silicon back contact solar cells leads to a considerable cost reduction as the efficiency is higher and the labour content in connecting the cells is reduced. On the other hand the visual appearance is improved due to the absence of contacts on the front surface. So building integration is significantly promoted as both acceptance and cost are improved. This will give an enormous impulse to the introduction of solar energy. This proposal addresses the issues involved in the commercial production of back contact solar cells and modules. Innovative techniques suitable for large-volume production and automation will be used to interconnect the cells. One-step lamination and interconnection will be developed to decrease the costs even more. As the contacts are only applied on one side the yield using thin fragile cells - being the future of low-cost crystalline silicon - is improved considerably due to the reduction of stress.
For three back contact solar cells, the Laser Grooved Buried Grid (LGBG) Metallisation Wrap Around (MWA), the screen-printed Emitter Wrap Through (EWT) and POWER solar cell, the device structure was optimised. Processing sequences were developed using industrial applicable manufacturing technologies. For the final, deliverable, modules were made using the semi-transparent POWER cells produced by sunway and the LGBG-MWA cells produced using the combined capacities of BP Solar and UKN. For solar cell interconnection, three approaches were developed which are especially suitable for back contact solar cells: modified "conventional" tabbing with solder-coated Cu-ribbons, pre-patterned back-sheets and glass substrates with screen printed contacts. Several conductive epoxies were examined and most of them led to a stable contact under accelerated aging. Based on conductive epoxies, the interconnection and encapsulation was combined in one process. Prototype modules were fabricated using glass/glass 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
- social sciences sociology industrial relations automation
- engineering and technology materials engineering amorphous solids
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
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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.
Coordinator
1755 ZG PETTEN
Netherlands
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.