Funding Opportunity: Technology to Market 2
SunShot Subprogram: Technology to Market
Location: Norcross, GA
SunShot Award Amount: $1,997,828
Awardee Cost Share: $1,997,828
Suniva is developing an advanced passivated emitter rear cell (PERC) structure that utilizes an aluminum grid on the back side instead of a conventional full-area aluminum structure. These bifacial cells will have lower stress and thus can be thinned down to save on silicon material costs. In addition, performance improvements are proposed that would lead to much finer silver gridlines to improve cell and module efficiency. These enhancements in the cell performance can feed directly into Suniva’s high-volume manufacturing line.
Approach
The project team will use new module integration technology to reduce the cost and reliance on conventional silver bus bar pastes and enhance cell efficiency. The cost of PERC solar cells will be reduced by introducing a selective emitter technology to increase cell efficiency.
Innovation
This project will accelerate the deployment of innovative solar cell and module technologies that have efficiencies in the range of 21 to 22%. Cost reductions and efficiency improvements will enable the long-term competitiveness of Suniva’s major investment in manufacturing expansion and the creation of hundreds of U.S. jobs.