Sustainable materials and manufacturing processes for the development of high efficiency, flexible, all-Perovskite Tandem photovoltaic modules with low CO2 footprint

The SuPerTandem project aims to accelerate Europe’s transition to clean energy by developing innovative photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing technologies for 2-terminal tandem cells and monolithically connected modules on flexible foils using low cost solution-processed perovskite absorber layers. Such devices feature efficiencies above 30%, performance stability profiles comparable to c-Si technologies, and excellent sustainability profile.

Important aspects are minimizing the use and impact of scarce and critical materials by employing sustainable, earth-abundant materials and applying encapsulation as well as recycling strategies to guarantee circularity. Application of scalable manufacturing processes on film substrates will enable low production cost (< 20 €/m2) and lower cost of electricity compared to current Si PV technology. This will be achieved by the partnership of leading European labs, industrial equipment makers and flexible PV module producing companies, building a coherent value chain of European innovation driven, cost competitive manufacturing to provide affordable innovative PV solutions.

Dual use of land/surfaces will capitalize the application advantages of developed lightweight flexible free-form factor PV modules for integration into buildings, vehicles and agrivoltaics to facilitate net zero emission targets with affordable integrated systems. The overarching aim of SuPerTandem is to demonstrate technologies at TRL 5, while participating partners have interests to quickly implement the project outcomes for establishing roll-to-roll manufacturing plants in EU. The sustainability of the developed module technology will be validated from environmental and economic points of view by life-cycle and techno-economic assessments, highlighting its potential for low resource consumption and CO2 footprint and thus for salient contributions to a sustainable, secure, safe and affordable supply of renewable energy in Europe.