Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK)

Photovoltaics (IEK-5)

Nordstorm

Novel paths towards next generation heterojunction solar cell and module

NORDSTORM is a project funded by the state of NRW as part of the Clean Energy Transition Partnership - a cooperation between various European funding bodies.

The NORDSTORM project is working with partners to develop the next generation of silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells and module technologies that can achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of over 30% in the 4-terminal perovskite/silicon (4T PK/Si) tandem structure. The main project goals are:

Development of a MoOX-based hole transport layer (HTL) on 6-inch wafers with J_0,p+ < 15 fA/cm²
Development of ultra-thin indium-based and/or In-free transparent conductive oxides (TCO) that are highly transparent and highly conductive and compatible with other metallization processes
Development of cost-effective and sustainable metallization technologies by evaluating two different copper-based metallization processes: Electroplating and screen printing
Production of the new generation of SHJ solar cells on M2+/6'-Si wafers with a PCE of over 25%
Development of reliable connections with electrically conductive adhesives (ECA) for the PV modules. This includes the development of polymer-based conductive particles, the ECA formulation and the bonding process
Development of a device model for 4-terminal perovskite/silicon tandem structures
Demonstration of 4T (non-area matched) PK/Si tandem structures using the SHJ solar cells developed by NORDSTORM as bottom cell for PCE of well over 30%
Demonstration and promotion of high power PV modules from solar cells developed in NORDSTORM that can be integrated and tested on site. The target power level is 335 W/module (60 M2 cells) at an irradiation of 1000 W/m²