Project description
Photonic management to improve IBC solar cell efficiency
The IBC (interdigitated back contact) cell is an advanced technology that results in high-efficiency solar panels. In this context, the EU-funded BURST project aims to enhance the power conversion efficiency of European IBC c-Si technology, targeting efficiencies of at least 26 % for thin (<80 µm) cells and 27 % for thick c-Si cells, without relying on critical materials such as indium or silver. The project will develop the next generation of IBC cells using innovative photonic light management, passivation schemes, and silver-free metallisation. It will focus on maximising light absorption in thinner wafers, ensuring excellent passivation, and achieving high transparency on the cell’s front side. Additionally, the project will evaluate the technology’s costs, environmental impact, and supply security.
Objective
The BURST project supports the efforts of a strategic European IBC (interdigitated back-contact) c-Si technology by improving the power conversion efficiency towards the practical limits. BURST will achieve efficiencies of at least 26% with thin (<80 µm) and 27% with thick c-Si cells, without relying on critical materials like indium or silver. Leveraging on the expertise of leading IBC experts and pioneering groups in light management, passivation and metallization for Si PV, BURST will develop the next generation of IBC cells with innovative and industrially scalable photonic light management, superior passivation schemes and Ag-free metallization.
Maximizing the absorption of light in ever thinner wafers requires advanced light management. BURST’s light trapping based on optimized photonic structures will demonstrate superiority over the state-of-art random pyramidal textures by absorbing >99 % of the theoretical limit. BURST will transfer lab-type fabrication processes to cost-effective, high throughput industrial fabrication methods (TRL5) by using high precision, rapid laser patterning and atmospheric dry etching.
Advanced passivation and passivating contacts are essential in preventing recombination and harvesting the extra charge carriers generated from the advanced light management. BURST’s cell front side will achieve excellent passivation (>>750 mV) and high transparency. Alloying BURST’s excellent poly-Si passivating rear contacts with Oxygen will mitigate parasitic absorption at the rear side.
BURST will apply Aluminium and Copper as inexpensive and abundant materials with low-cost techniques to ensure a low-resistive contact (<1 mOhm.cm²) to the passivating poly-Si contact of the Ag-free BURST IBC cell.
Finally, the high-efficiency BURST cells will be assembled into mini-modules supplemented by detailed analysis of the costs, environmental impact, supply security and circularity to demonstrate the advantage of BURST technology in relevant environments.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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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HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility
MAIN PROGRAMME
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HORIZON.2.5.2 - Energy Supply
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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.
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
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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) HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02
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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.
31860 Emmerthal
Germany
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.