On Friday 6 July 2007, ECN and the International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz (ISC) signed a letter of intent with four Dutch and German PV companies to establish an international research institute for solar energy, FESTpv. This will focus upon improving silicon production technologies for the rapidly growing photovoltaic industry, with the aim to reduce costs of photovoltaics.
FESTpv stands for Front-End Silicon Technology for Photovoltaics. The centres behind the initiative have an extensive network combining universities, R&D centres and leading PV companies. These should help the new institute to achieve its ambition of becoming world leader in research and development on front-end silicon technologies for solar-energy applications.
Paul Wyers, Solar Energy Unit Manager at ECN, explains where FESTpv stands. “We have opted for an alliance with the industry that will allow us to focus upon the first stage of production of crystalline silicon solar cells. Research in that area is fragmented at the moment. There is much to be done to when it comes to improving quality and making more efficient use of silicon in the manufacture of photovoltaic solar cells, yet nowhere in the world was there an R&D institute specifically dedicated to that work.” This was despite the growing demand from the market for in upstream silicon R&D.
Results to support partners
There is considerable interest in this new initiative from the solar-energy industry. This is partly because it will give partners influence over the research programme and direct access to the results. “Many production companies are keen to outsource their medium and long-term research,” says Paul Wyers. “Not least because they believe in the added value we can offer. The results produced by FESTpv will directly benefit the partners.” The industry partners that already signed the LOI are Econcern, RENA Sondermaschinen GmbH, Scheuten Solar and Solland. At least 6 industry partners are expected to join FESTpv this year. The institute will be partly financed by the partner contributions, and by investment- and project grants that will be obtained from the EU and other sources.
FESTpv is planned to start at the end of this year at a cross-border location at the Avantis Science and Business Park on the Dutch-German border, between Heerlen and Aachen.
Contact:
Ton Veltkamp, FESTpv Project Manager
ECN Solar Energy
Telephone +31 224 564251 / 4761
E-mail veltkamp@remove-this-part-ecn.nl.
