Solliance is a partnership of R&D organizations from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, working on thin film photovoltaic solar energy. Aiming to strengthen the EU region's position as a world player in PV, Solliance is creating synergy by consolidating and coordinating the activities of 250 researchers in industry, at research institutes and universities.
Various state-of-the-art laboratories and pilot production lines are jointly used for dedicated research programs which are executed in close cooperation with the solar business community.
Among Solliance Research Partners are: ECN, imec, TNO, Holst Centre, TU/e, Forschungszentrum Julich, University Hasselt and Delft University of Technology.
Solliance offers participation in its research programs and opens up its lab facilities to new entrants, either from industry or in research. On the basis of clear Intellectual Property agreements, each industrial partner can participate in this research effort, or alternatively, hire equipment and experts to further develop its own technology.
High Tech Campus 21
Eindhoven
Netherlands
Researchers design a monolithic perovskite-PERC tandem solar cell with 23.7% efficiency
Researchers from the Netherlands' Eindhoven University of Technology, TNO, TNO/Holst Centre and Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES) have designed a monolithic perovskite-PERC tandem solar cell that utilizes a new type of tunnel recombination junction (TRJ) based on indium tin oxide (ITO), nickel(II) oxide (NiO), and carbazole (2PACz).
The scientists explained that TRJs are usually based on ITO and 2PACz alone, and that the addition of the NiO layer is intended to reduce electrical shunts in the perovskite top cell, due to the inhomogeneity of the 2PACz layer on ITO.
Researchers design tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell using a new approach to interface engineering
Researchers from Solliance partners Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology and TNO have developed a tandem perovskite-silicon solar cell using a new approach to interface engineering.
The team's findings demonstrate the potential of using (n)nc-SiOx:H and (n)nc-Si:H interfacial layers in tandem solar cells to minimize reflection losses at the interfaces between the perovskite and silicon sub-cells, as explained by the scientists. Through optimizing interference effects, these light management techniques can be applied to various tandem structures.
Netherlands' province of North Brabant, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and TNO enter collaboration on perovskite solar cells and integrated solar energy products
The Netherlands' province of North Brabant, the Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and TNO – partner in Solliance – have signed a cooperation agreement for perovskite solar cells and integrated solar energy products.
At the Brainport Industry Campus (BIC) in Eindhoven, TNO is working on flexible solar energy laminates that can then be processed into components for buildings, infrastructure and vehicles. The research line was devised by TNO and built by partners from the business community – including MAAN and Duflex – with financial support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate. The line of research will also play a major role in the European project MC2.0, which will start in January 2023 under the leadership of TNO and for which 20 partners from different countries will provide input. In parallel, the research program on industrialize production of perovskites, is running. The goal is to bring both studies together in mass customization based on perovskite.
Researchers design a water-splitting system assisted by monolithic perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells
Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, Delft University of Technology and TNO (partner in Solliance) have designed an integrated solar-assisted water-splitting system with a flow electrochemical cell and a monolithic perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell.
The team's work demonstrates how a perovskite/silicon tandem cell can be combined with a water electrolyzer system. However, the team said that there are still many steps that need to be taken before commercialization is possible. For example: upscaling the technology, addressing stability in greater detail, and use of more earth-abundant catalysts in the water-splitting reaction.
Solliance team breaks 30% efficiency barrier
Solliance partners TNO, TU Eindhoven, imec and TU Delft have joined forces to further push the conversion efficiency of tandem solar cells to beyond the limits of today’s commercial PV modules. They have achieved an extraordinary feat: the first time that four-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem devices with certified top cell passed the barrier of 30%.
Bottom silicon solar cell and top perovskite solar cell with transparent contacts. Photo credit: Niels van Loon
Such high efficiency enables more power per square meters and less cost per kWh. The result was presented during the 8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (WCPEC-8) in Milan and has been achieved by combining perovskite solar cell tech with conventional silicon solar cell technologies. The perovskite cell that features transparent contacts and is part of the tandem stack has been independently certified.
