• ​Together with European partners, CARBON targets a technological optimum for its future photovoltaics products, through an ambition that lives by these 5 words: competitive, reliable, sustainable, recyclable, efficient.
• The industrial company chose the TOPCon technology and its improvment through TBC (TOPCon back-contact) as well as the future industrial development of 6th generation solar cells called « tandem ».
• The technological roadmap of CARBON affects the whole value chain in order to guarantee the ecodesign of photovoltaïcs products and to be at the vanguard of innovation.
• CARBON will devote at least 3% of its future turnover, i.e. several tens of millions of euros per year, to R&D.

An ambitious albeit realistic technological roadmap

CARBON reiterates its initial choice of the 5th generation technology called TOPCon (Tunnel oxide passivated contact), a new generation of innovative but globally-endorsed cells, which is set to become the mainstream on the solar market in the coming years. Thanks to specific innovations, the company intends to further improve this technology performance on an industrial scale.

As previously announced, and upon the commissioning of its giga-factory will be done, CARBON will also commit to an improvement of its cell technology called TBC (TOPCon back-contact) which presents tremendous advantages in terms of resource consumption but also yield and aesthetics.

To pave the way for the future, CARBON is already considering the industrial development of the 6th generation of so-called « tandem » solar cells, which combine two semiconductors enabling the capture of a larger part of the solar spectrum. CARBON, supported by its R&D partners, is examining the tandem technology known as silicon-perovskite with 2 terminals to sustain investments on the 5th generation and to seek better yields (beyond 30%). Work also focuses on the stabilization of perovskites. Additionnally, CARBON is exploring alternative tandem technologies to cover multiple technological options by 2030.

Outside the cell which is the core of value chain, CARBON works with its partners on innovations on other steps of the process and components of its products in order to guarantee the ecodesign of its photovoltaics modules and to always remain at the vanguard of incremental and disruptive innovation. This applies for example to the epitaxial growth of silicon wafers, the evolution or even the disappearance of the frame, the reduction of the thickness or even the replacement of solar glass, etc.

A European ecosystem for research, development and innovation.

CARBON relies on a European network of innovative research centers, with the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) at the Institut national de l'énergie solaire (INES) in France, as well as the International Solar Center (ISC) Konstanz in Germany. Through the European research projects of its partners, CARBON also has access to specialized expertise in Switzerland, Spain and Belgium, among others.

Together with these strategic partners in research, development and innovation around its technological roadmap, CARBON intends to fully engage in European cooperation and target a technological optimum for its future photovoltaics products, through an ambition that lives by these 5 words: competitive, reliable, sustainable, recyclable, efficient. This is about achieving the best performances while ensuring the lowest carbon footprint of the market and reducing the consumption of critical resources.

CARBON keeps a steady watch on future technological developments. As a reminder, CARBON will devote at least 3% of its future turnover, i.e. several tens of millions of euros per year, to R&D, which will help consolidate a leading European ecosystem regarding innovation on solar PV.