Imagine stacking two different types of solar cells on top of each other like a sandwich to catch more sunlight than a single layer ever could. This team is replacing toxic chemicals and rare metals with common materials to make these panels cheaper and greener. It's like upgrading a standard engine to a turbo version while making it easier to recycle.
Current silicon solar cells are reaching their theoretical efficiency limits and often rely on expensive or toxic materials. This makes it difficult for European manufacturers to compete on cost and sustainability while increasing energy yield.
The project built high-efficiency perovskite-on-silicon tandem cells and modules, along with a proof-of-concept equipment set for GW-scale production.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with the plateau of silicon efficiency — this project developed tandem cells with power conversion efficiency >33% that increase energy yield per area. This allows you to produce more power from the same amount of surface area.
If you are a provider dealing with limited roof space for clients — this project developed modules with a PCE of 30% and a maximized power output of 210 kWh/m2. This maximizes the electricity generated from small urban footprints.
If you are a recycling firm dealing with toxic waste from old panels — this project developed a solvent-free deposition method and an eco-design approach. This reduces the use of silver and indium, making the end-of-life process safer and cheaper.
The project focuses on economic viability by using abundant materials and solvent-free deposition to create a viable economic pathway for European commercialization.
Yes, the project includes modeling for GW-scale production and the design of proof-of-concept equipment sets to demonstrate scalability.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project involves 7 industrial partners including 4 SMEs who are developing the technology.
The project uses a global eco-design approach and performs lifecycle costing (LCC) and environmental/social lifecycle analysis (LCA) to ensure environmental harmlessness.
The project period runs from 2022-11-01 to 2025-10-31, with the final stages focusing on outdoor durability and bankability reports.
The consortium is highly commercially oriented with a 47% industry ratio, comprising 15 partners across 10 countries. The mix of 7 industrial partners (including 4 SMEs) and 8 research organizations suggests a strong pipeline from lab-scale discovery to industrial application, covering the entire value chain from equipment providers to end-users.
Contact the Commissariat a l Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) in France.
Contact SciTransfer to connect with the NEXUS consortium for licensing and pilot opportunities.
