​More de​tails​

High efficiency​​

The primary objective of our research is to improve PV cell and module yields and scale up new solutions for manufacturing on an industrial scale. Currently we are obtaining some of the highest performance levels anywhere in the world on industrial-scale equipment. We are now aiming for yields greater than 26% on silicon as we continue to reduce the amount of critical metals like silver and indium needed. Our front runners in terms of performance are silicon heterojunction cells with passivating contacts, TOPCon cells, and, finally, perovskite-silicon tandem cells, heralded as the technology capable of pushing yields past 30% and paving the way for future generations of cells. Our research on perovskite-silicon tandem cells centers on improving both performance and manufacturing processes. The goal is to ensure that this emerging technology is compatible with the throughput requirements of industrial-scale manufacturing on existing production lines

Photovoltaic systems

The optimization of photovoltaic systems is another one of our research areas. This includes innovative physical and electrical architectures for the integration of higher-voltage DC photovoltaic systems. We are setting our sights on 3,000 V and beyond. These more powerful systems would help increase energy efficiency and reduce the overall amount of conductive materials such as copper. We also develop components and conduct research on innovative power converters made using wide bandgap materials like gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC). Last but not least, we are developing modeling and simulation tools that can assess the status of a solar power plant and recommend optimizations. These kinds of solutions will improve our ability to forecast production, troubleshoot malfunctions, and boost performance.

Reducing environmental impacts

The recovery, reuse, and recycling of PV materials are key challenges. With eco-innovation principles as our guide, we are working to make PV module manufacturing processes more efficient. Solar photovoltaic is being rolled out massively worldwide, and the installed base of equipment is expanding rapidly, creating a pressing need for new module designs that are easy to dismantle and recycle. Our holistic approach to these issues spans research on how to best reduce and reuse waste, save energy, and replace critical materials with alternatives. We also bring in-depth knowledge of lifecycle analysis to our research to identify the most promising environmental performance boosters and integrate low-environmental-impact materials very early on in the product design process. One example is silver, a material we are trying to replace with the much more abundant copper. ​​

Other PV use cases

We are also investigating other innovative ways to integrate PV solar equipment on existing man-made surfaces like warehouses, agricultural buildings, other industrial and commercial buildings, and even transportation infrastructures. These new use cases will require flexible, lightweight, and bifacial modules depending on the installation scenario (rooftop, etc.). Heliup, a CEA-Liten startup, was created to commercialize precisely the kind of custom PV modules we are developing for these value-added applications. The new venture recently closed out a €10 million fundraising round, which will position it to scale its lightweight rooftop solar panels up for production, with a target of 100 MW per year by 2025. We are also developing photovoltaic solar solutions for land, maritime, air, and space transportation and mobility, including modules capable of increasing vehicle range and powering low-orbit satellite constellations.

All of our advances in photovoltaic solar energy contribute to a lower-carbon and more energy-efficient future. Higher yields and new use cases will support a sustainable energy transition and create economic opportunity.