Recording of Wednesday, June 19, 2024 | The smarter E Europe | Exhibition Program | Language: English | Duration: 17:24 .

IBC4EU Project Showcases European Consortium's Efforts in Advanced Solar Technology Amid Market Challenges, Focusing on Rooftop and Building-Integrated PV Applications with Promising Efficiency Improvements

The IBC4EU project is a European-funded Horizon Europe initiative with a budget of 17 million euros, involving 21 partners from various parts of the supply chain across Europe and beyond. The project's primary focus is to develop and enhance interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cell technology, which offers promising potential for both rooftop installations and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Partners in the project include wafer suppliers like Norsan, solar cell producers such as Kalion and Value in Lithuania, material providers, research institutes, machine manufacturers, and companies involved in module production like Energira. IBC technology is considered advantageous due to its higher efficiency rates compared to conventional modules but faces challenges related to cost-effectiveness and market volatility. Aesthetic benefits are significant for BIPV applications because IBC cells can produce nearly all-black modules without visible front-facing metallization lines. Market analysis by Becquerel Institute identified high demand for rooftop systems despite cost concerns but also highlighted diverse opportunities within BIPV where aesthetics play an essential role. Two key technological advancements explored include Topcon-based Polo IBC cells achieving around 24% efficiency in lab conditions with expectations exceeding 25% in mass production. These technologies will be piloted by Futurasan among other partners aiming at advancing towards commercial viability amidst current funding dynamics.

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Talk of session: GW-scale Solar Module Factories for the Residential and Utility Scale Markets

The International Technology Roadmap for Photovltaics outlines projected developments in module technology. The current global manufacturing capacity is rapidly approaching the terawatt (TW) levels by 2024, with most of the output serving the residential and utility markets. What technological advancements are global players working on? How will product quality impact systems? What are the main technology goals for the coming years, and what are companies' perspectives on emerging technologies such as tandem cells and modules?

Further Talks of this session:

Anticipating the Demand: Flexible and Versatile Strategies for Multi-Gigawatt Solar Module Factories

To Talk

Reshoring Wafer Manufacturing

To Talk

HoloSolis: A 5GW European Cell and Module Factory

To Talk