Cost-reduction through material optimisation and Higher EnErgy oupuT of solAr pHotovoltaic modules Joining Europe's Research and Development efforts in support of its PV industry
AIT Energy is one of 34 partners and 16 nationalities representing the consortium of the EU project Cheetah. The aim of the project is to develop technology and foster innovative manufacturing capabilities and photovoltaic products, so that Europe can develop its technological and industrial capacity of the whole value chain.
Objectives
- Developing new concepts and technologies for wafer-based crystalline silicon PV (modules with ultra-thin cells), thin-film PV (advanced light management) and organic PV (very low-cost barriers), resulting in (strongly) reduced cost of materials and increased module performance
- Fostering long-term European cooperation in the PV R&D sector, by organizing workshops, training of researchers, and stimulating efficient use of infrastructure;
- Accelerating the implementation of innovative technologies in the PV industry. It is the ambition of CHEETAH to develop technology and foster manufacturing capabilities in Crystalline Si and thin film PV so that Europe can regain and build up own manufacturing capacity in all the segments of the value chain in due time.
AIT will be responsible for PV testing and characterisation. Success criteria will be defined for the new module Technology, with ultra-thin cells. Performance/Efficiency will be evaluated by electrical characterisation. The aging of the PV-components under the influence of harsh climatic conditions may be simulated and quantified. AIT has/is participated/ing in FP6 and FP7 projects, including (I) PERFORMANCE: A science base on PV performance for increased market transparency and customer confidence, (II) ASPIS: Active Solar Panel Initiative, and (III) SOPHIA: Photovoltaic European research infrastructure. AIT also led the project SAN-CELL: Low-cost, silicon-free solar cells based on self-assembled nanostructures, financed by the Climate and Energy Funds of the Federal Government.
Project start: January 2014
Project duration: 48 months
Funding line: CHEETAH (FP7-Energy-2013- Grant no. 609788) is a combined collaborative project (CP) and coordination and support action (CSA) funded under the European Commission’s 7th FPWith a total budget of 13.2 M€ and an EU funding of 9.6 M€, the project was kicked off in Amsterdam, on the 6th &7th of February, 2014. CHEETAH is coordinated by ECN Solar Energy from the Netherlands.
