3SUN S.R.L.

Their core work

3SUN is an Italian photovoltaic cell and module manufacturer based in Catania, Sicily, operating one of Europe's largest solar panel production facilities. Their core work spans heterojunction solar cell technology, bifacial modules, and PV plant optimization aimed at reducing the levelized cost of electricity. They contribute manufacturing expertise and pilot-line capacity to EU research projects, particularly in advanced materials integration (graphene, 2D materials) into solar technologies and end-of-life PV module recycling. As part of their industrial role, they bridge the gap between laboratory-scale material innovations and volume manufacturing.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their earlier H2020 involvement (2018–2020), 3SUN focused squarely on photovoltaic performance optimization — heterojunction cells, bifacial modules, light management, and driving down LCOE. From 2020 onward, their focus broadened in two directions: integrating advanced materials (graphene, 2D materials) into manufacturing via the Graphene Flagship, and addressing PV sustainability through end-of-life module recycling and critical raw material recovery. This reflects a manufacturer maturing from pure performance engineering toward circular economy and next-generation materials.

3SUN is moving from optimizing today's solar technology toward building tomorrow's — integrating 2D materials into production while preparing for the waste challenge that mass PV deployment creates.

How they like to work

3SUN never coordinates projects — they participate as a partner or third party, contributing industrial manufacturing capacity and pilot-line infrastructure to research-driven consortia. Their 217 unique partners across 21 countries, achieved through just 4 projects, reflect involvement in very large flagship-scale consortia (notably the Graphene Flagship). This is typical of a large industrial player that provides real-world validation and scale-up capability rather than leading the research agenda.

Despite only 4 projects, 3SUN has touched 217 partners across 21 countries, largely through the massive Graphene Flagship consortium. Their network is broad but driven by flagship membership rather than bilateral partnerships.

What sets them apart

3SUN brings something rare to EU consortia: actual high-volume PV manufacturing capacity in Europe. While many partners contribute research or modelling, 3SUN can test innovations on a real production line in Catania. For any project needing to demonstrate that a laboratory material or process works at industrial scale in photovoltaics, they are one of very few European options.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GrapheneCore3
  Part of the €1B Graphene Flagship — Europe's largest research initiative — where 3SUN received their only direct EC funding (€494K) to integrate graphene into PV manufacturing.
• PHOTORAMA
  Addresses the upcoming wave of PV panel waste by developing recovery processes for critical raw materials — a growing regulatory and environmental priority.
• 2D-EPL
  Experimental Pilot Line project that directly targets scaling 2D materials from lab to factory, aligning with 3SUN's core manufacturing role.