Next Generation Industrial Bifacial Silicon Solar Cells

ARENA-funded project "Next Generation Industrial Bifacial Silicon Solar Cells" (current)

This project brings together a consortium of ANU, GCL Technology Systems (China), and Wavelabs (Germany) to represent a complete spectrum in the PV industry encompassing R&D, manufacturing and device characterisation technologies. ANU as the project leader will be the hub of the collaboration between the groups, where fundamental studies, process innovation, technology demonstration and knowledge sharing activities are performed. Developed technologies at ANU will be transferred to industrial scale devices at GCL’s pilot factory, and new testing methodologies specifically related to bifacial cells will be developed and tested in collaboration with Wavelabs engineers.

Project innovation

Bifacial solar cells absorb light from both front and rear surface of the device, capturing albedo light reflected off the ground and roof surfaces that would otherwise be lost. This technology has demonstrated up to 30% increase in annual energy output, representing among the biggest leap in performance for any evolutionary technology for silicon PV modules. ANU will work with industry partners GCL Technology Systems and Wavelabs to develop and integrate advanced laboratory scale technologies such as passivated contacts, and laser contact technologies into industrial scale bifacial solar cells./p>

Benefit

The proposed technology roadmap in this project aims to achieve 23.5% efficient laboratory cell, and 22.5% large area industry cells with over 95% bifaciality, representing a significant improvement over currently available bifacial PV modules.