12-06-2011

Research project achieves 23 percent efficiency with back-contact solar cells

• imec accomplishes important goal for IBC solar cells
• SCHOTT Solar a development partner from the very start

Mainz, December 6, 2011 – A joint research project under the aegis of the Belgian imec has succeeded in increasing the efficiency of back-contact solar cells to 23.3 percent. The fabricated cells employ the so-called IBC technology (Interdigitated Back Contact). SCHOTT Solar AG has been supporting this project from the very beginning and is actively involved in this research achievement. Among other things, guest researchers from SCHOTT Solar work on site.

“We congratulate the imec team on their outstanding results that provide us with important insights for the development of next generation of silicon solar cells,” notes Dr. Axel Metz, Director of Cell Development at SCHOTT Solar AG. Based in Belgium, imec is one of Europe’s largest research centers on nanoelectronics and microelectronics. In 2009, imec established a program aimed at lowering the manufacturing costs of solar cells and reducing the amount of silicon needed per watt by half. Yet another objective is to achieve efficiencies significantly higher than 20 percent with these new cells. Besides SCHOTT Solar, other cell manufacturers, manufacturers of production equipment, and suppliers of raw materials participate in this program.

Fraunhofer ISE’s calibration laboratory in Freiburg, Germany, confirmed that efficiency of 23.3 percent on November 15, 2011. In IBC solar cells, the metal contacts are located solely on the backside. This results in lower optical losses, and therefore allows for higher efficiencies to be achieved compared to conventional solar cells. These cells also have a more attractive appearance. Together with improvements that have been made to the electrical connectors, the electrical losses that occur inside a solar module can now be reduced quite significantly. To achieve this, SCHOTT Solar is already working on innovative interconnection technologies for solar modules.

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