SuperSolar Hub Extension

Completed

Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor J Walls
Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Loughborough University

Standard

EPSRC

01 May 2017

31 October 2018

18 months

£856,808

Energy

East Midlands

Energy : Energy

Professor J Walls, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University

Dr PRF Barnes, Department of Physics (the Blackett Laboratory), Imperial College London
Dr SA Boden, Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton
Dr K Durose, Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, University of Liverpool
Professor J Durrant, Chemistry, Imperial College London
Professor Sir R Friend, Physics, University of Cambridge
Dr R Gottschalg, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University
Dr N Greenham, Physics, University of Cambridge
Professor P Lagoudakis, School of Physics and Astronom, University of Southampton
Professor DG Lidzey, Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield
Professor J Nelson, Department of Physics (the Blackett Laboratory), Imperial College London
Dr hjs Snaith, Oxford Physics, University of Oxford
Dr AB Walker, Physics, University of Bath

Project Contact, The Welding Institute
Project Contact, M-Solv Ltd
Project Contact, Oxford Photovoltaics Limited

Solar technology provides an affordable, reliable and secure source of energy. It is a vital part of the energy supply mix needed to mitigate climate change. Module production has increased at an astonishing 35%p.a. compound rate over the past 15 years to 60GW in 2016. Over 12GW of solar modules has already been installed in the UK. The solar research area is rich in scientific and commercial opportunity.The Supergen SuperSolar Hub has established an inclusive and co-ordinated network for the Photovoltaics (PV) research community in the UK. The Hub engages with stakeholders in Universities, Industry, Finance and Government. The SuperSolar Hub has achieved impact by reaching out to the wider community through its Associate and Network membership (589 members). It has also worked with other Hubs on cross-cutting topics such as energy storage and grid integration. A 12 month extension of the Hub will enable it to continue supporting the UK Solar community to April 2018 including 12 events, a further Call for Industrial and International engagement and support for SESSIG (Solar Energy Industry Special Interest Group). We will also maintain UKAS ISO-17025 accreditation for the SuperSolar cell efficiency measurement facility.The Supergen Supersolar Hub comprises eight of the UK's leading University teams engaged in the development of photovoltaic technologies. The Hub was quick to recognise the importance of the development of perovskite solar cells at Oxford University and has funded complementary research programmes in Hub member and Associate member laboratories through its flexible funding. The speed of progress made with perovskite solar cells has been unprecedented and conversion efficiencies of >22% have been reported. The technology has serious commercial potential. World-wide competition is fierce, but the UK effort, co-ordinated by the SuperSolar Hub, has helped to maintain our leadership position. The research programme proposed will address the key issue of perovskite device stability with the ambitious objective of fabricating devices with >20% efficiency and >1,000 hours lifetime and less than 5% degradation when stressed under sunlight. The programme also includes the objective of achieving >25% efficiency with a perovskite/silicon tandem solar device. Achievement of these objectives will generate further valuable IP and take the technology closer to commercialization.

15/02/19