Advanced concepts for crystalline Silicon technology
European Comission
ExpectedOutcome :
Photovoltaic power generation is pivotal in the transition to a clean energy system and the achievement of a climate-neutral economy. To this end, it is important to enhance affordability, security of supply and sustainability of PV technologies along with further efficiency improvements.
Consequently, project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:
- PV modules with higher efficiencies and lower costs, paving the way for mass production.
- Lower environmental impact with efficient and optimised use of materials/resources. Scope :
Wafer-based crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV technology is dominating the PV market, sharing its 95%, with a significant historical module price reduction trend. The driving force for such PV cost reduction is undoubtedly attributed to the advancement in cell and module performance in the last few decades, in addition to economies of scale. Improving cell and module efficiency will continue to play a significant role in lowering the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), by saving the cost of land and balance of systems while producing the same amount of electricity.
Proposals are expected to develop architectures approaching the theoretical efficiency limit of c-Si cells and providing the direction for even higher mass-production industrial cell performance (for example by reducing surface recombination in silicon, lowering recombination losses at metal contacts, maximizing light trapping in silicon, etc.), with:
- Nanophotonic structures to maximize absorption and minimise reflection, enabling reduced silicon consumption and higher efficiencies.
- Innovative texturisation and light-trapping concepts for thin and ultrathin c-Si solar cells.
- Advanced low-cost surface passivation and novel passivating contacts; novel heterojunctions.
- Low-cost and Ag-free metallisation, TCOs using abundant materials (In-free), such as AZO.
- Direct bandgap architectures for very high efficiencies and/or thinner cells. Specific Topic Conditions :
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
General conditions
- Admissibility conditions: described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System
- Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .
- Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes
Evaluation and award:
Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes
Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes
- Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes
Specific conditions
- Specific conditions: described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Documents
Call documents:
Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Standard evaluation form — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
MGA
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility
HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual