REC, a leading global supplier of solar energy solutions, is teaming up with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE to develop high-efficiency solar cells based on n-type monocrystalline wafers.
REC to collaborate with Fraunhofer ISE on the development of High-Efficiency Solar Cells
0n-Type solar cells have a higher efficiency potential than traditional p-type solar cells. Moreover, they do not display the light induced degradation that conventional p-type solar cells suffer from. However, n-type cells are more complex to manufacture and traditionally require expensive silver contacts on both sides of the cell.
Fraunhofer ISE has now developed a high-efficiency cell structure that avoids the use of an expensive silver contact grid on the back of the cell. Instead, this cell structure makes use of a combination of dielectric layers and localized contacts. REC, which has a vast experience in the development and optimization state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, will work together with Fraunhofer ISE to translate this technology from lab scale to a full production-ready concept. The new production process is expected to yield high-efficiency cells at competitive costs on proven production equipment. The latter will make it possible to implement this technology quickly in production once it is fully developed.
“The PassDop layer delivers excellent results on the conductivity of n-type solar cells. Through it, we can now achieve confirmed cell efficiency of 22.4%,” said Dr. Stefan Glunz, Division Director “Solar Cells – Development and Characterization” at Fraunhofer ISE.
“As a pioneer in the solar industry, we are excited at the opportunity to collaborate with a top institute as Fraunhofer ISE to strengthen our status as a premium provider,” said Ter Soon Kim, Senior Vice President of Operations and Technology, REC. “By combining our manufacturing excellence with the new technology developed at Fraunhofer ISE, we are taking another step towards making solar energy a source of clean energy that is accessible and affordable to all.”
About REC:
REC is a leading global provider of solar energy solutions. With more than 15 years of experience, we offer sustainable, high performing products, services and investments for the solar industry. Together with our partners, we create value by providing solutions that better meet the world’s growing energy needs. REC is headquartered in Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: RECSOL). Our 1,600 employees worldwide generated revenues of NOK 4.1 billion in 2012.
Find out more about REC at www.recgroup.com
About Fraunhofer ISE:
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is a member of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the leading organization for applied research in Europe with more than 23,000 employees in 67 research units. With a staff of
1,300, Fraunhofer ISE, based in Freiburg, is the largest solar energy research institute in Europe. Fraunhofer ISE is committed to promoting energy supply systems which are sustainable, economic, safe and socially just. It creates the technological foundations for supplying energy efficiently and on an environmentally sound basis in industrialized, threshold and developing countries. To this end, the institute develops materials, components, systems and
processes for energy efficiency, energy conversion, energy distribution and energy storage.
For more information, visit: www.ise.fraunhofer.de.