Imec announces organic PV module

Imec have also announced an organic photovoltaic module with a certified efficiency of 5.5% developed by Imec in close collaboration with Solvay and the proprietary ActivInk semiconductor from Polyera. Imec and the chemicals company Solvay have announced an organic photovoltaic module with a certified efficiency of 5.5%. Attaining performance at module level is a crucial step towards upscaling the production process and successful commercialization of organic photovoltaic cells. This result was achieved using a novel inverted bulk heterojunction architecture developed by Imec in close collaboration with Solvay and a proprietary ActivInk semiconductor from Polyera . Organic solar cells hold the potential for integration into building facades and windows, due to their optical translucency and ability to be manufactured on large areas at high-throughput. The efficiency of organic solar cells is less dependent on the intensity and the angle of the incoming light. However, to become a relevant PV energy-conversion technology, upscaling towards an industrial process is necessary, as is a further increase in performance and longer lifetime. Imec's research program on organic solar cells tackles all the challenges to make the organic PV technology ready for market introduction. Imec developed a dedicated inverted bulk heterojunction architecture for polymer-based solar cells. This architecture simultaneously optimizes cell light management and increases device stability. Since demonstrating excellent efficiency results at the cell level in 2011, Imec and Solvay have developed a process to integrate inverted bulk heterojunction solar cells in an efficient module that uses 95% of the aperture area to generate electricity. The project achieved a module efficiency as high as 5.5% on a 16 cm² aperture area—a record high for organic PV modules. Tom Aernouts, R&D group leader of organic photovoltaics at Imec, noted: "We are excited to have achieved these excellent results at module level. They are an important step towards upscaling organic solar cell technology to high-volume production. With further device and module structure optimizations and optimization of the photo-active material of the cell, we will continue increasing efficiency and lifetime, which are essential advancements for developing an industry-relevant technology for organic solar cells." Imec's organic PV activities are currently part of Solliance, a cross-border R&D cluster that leverages the know-how of key players in thin-film solar-energy technology in the ELAT (Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle) region to strengthen the position of the region as a world player in thin-film photovoltaics. Imec Solvay Polyera