Photovoltaic

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Demand is growing fast but, in spite of recent technological progress in solar photovoltaic energy equipment costs remain high.

Only technological breakthroughs, especially involving materials besides silicon, can reduce these drastically.

New generation thin-film solar panels in a ground array at a solar farm in Narbonne.

The CISEL project

The challenge raised by the CISEL project is to develop a new photovoltaic cell manufacturing process based on copper and indium selenium (CIS). The CIS semi-conductor material, which had so far been vacuum-produced using costly methods, is deposited via more cost-effective methods here, using atmospheric pressure electrodeposition.

The very high efficiency solar cell programme (PV - VHE) : an exploratory research project on the development of new, very high efficiency, PV devices concepts.These concepts have the potential in the long term to overcome present conversion efficiency limits to reach efficiencies of 40% and beyond. Present approaches include up conversion of the infrared photons for a better use of the solar spectrum and utilisation of hot carrier effects to harvest the thermal energy which is presently lost. These approaches make good use of state of the art nanotechnologies and ab initio material design.

For further information :

Partnership

With its 800 m2 of lab space, the IRDEP mixed research unit is investigating the industrial feasibility of thin-film photovoltaic technology using electroplating

Partnership projects

ADEME (Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie) : GENECIS.
ANR (Agence nationale de la recherche) : CISEL, THRI - PV.
Commission européenne : LARCIS, ATHLET.
EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute).

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