Competencies

June 1st, 2018

A critical challenge for printed solar cell research is that lab-scale practices are often too far removed from industrial feasibility.

At CSIRO, we work on developing materials, processes, and instruments towards a seamless transition from laboratory research cells fabrication to industrial-scale production.

 

We apply scalable printing/coating methods in our laboratory research cells enabling us to rapidly transfer the process to larger-scale production.

Research PV cells

    • 10 mm2 cells on a 25 mm-wide ITO-coated flexible printing substrate.
    • 240 individual cells per metre.
    • Feasibility test cells fabricated using a benchtop roll-to-roll coater/printer.

 

Research PV mini-modules

    • 10 cm x 10 cm test-bed module.
    • 5 Serially interconnected cells per module capable of producing voltages exceeding 5V.
    • Roll-to-roll fabrication. Metal back-electrode can be evaporated or printed/coated.
  •  
  •  

PV modules

    • 30 cm-wide, with various lengths possible.
    • Typically, 16-20 serially interconnected cells per module capable of voltages exceeding 20 V.

 

 

PV strings

    • Strings of serially interconnected modules up to 30 cm wide.
    • Various module lengths possible.
    • Length of printed strings only limited by web length or printing equipment capability.
    • Printed solar panel strings have been integrated with roofing panels (CRC-P project) and  a canopy demonstrator at Melbourne Zoo.

 

Printing throughput

    • Print run length: 25 mm (research cells) to >100 m
    • Print widths: 25 mm (research cells) to 30 cm.

 

 

 

Micro-factory for Machine Learning

Our team has developed a research platform utilising a factory-like progression with materials sequentially introduced, modified, and tested on a single continuous table-top roll-to-roll production line. As shown in the image, it comprises an automated R2R fabricator (A), an automated R2R characteriser (B), and a database (C) that stores all collected data, allowing for surrogate machine learning modelling and analyses. Find out more: Flexible Solar Panels and Printed Perovskite Photovoltaics.