Silicon photovoltaics

Photovoltaics manufacturer SCHOTT Solar has entered into a three-year research partnership with IMEC.

SCHOTT Solar joins IMEC’s newly launched silicon photovoltaics industrial affiliation programme (IIAP). Within this research-and-development programme, IMEC aims to explore and develop advanced process technologies to fuel the steep market growth of silicon solar cells in a sustainable manner. The programme will concentrate on a sharp reduction in silicon use, while increasing cell efficiency in a bid to substantially lower the cost-per-Watt peak.

‘We are excited that one of the leading photovoltaics manufacturers joins our multi-partner programme. Building on our 25-year track record in silicon solar cells and our successful experience with industrial affiliation programmes on CMOS scaling, we are confident that we will provide our partners a dynamic research platform for accelerated process development,’ said Jef Poortmans, programme director of Solar+ at IMEC.

Crystalline silicon solar cells account for more than 90 per cent of the world’s solar cells. Within its IIAP, IMEC aims to reduce the cost of producing crystalline silicon solar cells and the amount of Si/Watt that is needed by half. Efficiencies of about 20 per cent are targeted.