Scaling up of thin-film technologies

The heart of the matter in thin-film PV R&D is how to scale up production from the size of square centimeters to the size of square meters, without losing on efficiency. Most of the fundamentals of thin-film solar cells are now in place, along with the promise of much lower electricity prices. The next challenge in thin-film R&D concerns production technology.

ECN is right on top of this issue. Our ultimate goal is to develop roll-to-roll large scale production at the lowest possible cost of manufacturing. Many enabling technologies both in thin-film Si and in organic PV are being developed on the way to robust roll-to-roll production technology. If possible current cutting-edge results are being incorporated already into existing thin-film production lines. Intensely researched technologies include advanced light management, dynamic deposition technologies such as printing, coating, plasma-deposition and sophisticated laser treatment.

In organic PV, ECN works closely together with Holst Centre, thus profiting from world-class organic electronic technologies. The joint organic PV program is offered as an open innovation model, in which industry is free to participate in a number of ways.

Thin-film technologies hold the promise of being able to greatly improve the incorporation of PV into existing structures and building modules of any size and at a lower cost. ECN and its partners are dedicated to developing tomorrow’s technology by dawn.