Reimagining Photovoltaics Manufacturing

这个项目，重新想象光伏制造，是一个冒险和雄心勃勃的后续项目，最初的可行性研究，光伏涂料。它专注于实现制造研究的突破，以实现以设计为主导的光伏（PV）制造方法，这将导致光伏与建筑环境和汽车行业产品的更紧密的美学整合。最终，这将大大增加可持续电力的全球部署，并颠覆当前的光伏制造模式，为英国创造巨大的商业机会。目前的光伏制造业严重依赖于规模经济，大约三分之二的制造业发生在亚洲。这种方法的问题在于，光伏组件现在是高度标准化的，只有在短期内才能在大规模的太阳能农场应用中具有竞争力。这限制了光伏部署在全球范围内的增长速度，而在这个时期，切实的二氧化碳减排至关重要。另一个缺点是，光伏制造95%是基于硅晶片技术，这种技术很脆弱，需要资本密集型设施。反过来，这限制了无缝产品集成到利基应用程序的机会，这些应用程序目前不具有成本效益。我们的中心研究假设是，这些障碍可以通过最初的光伏涂料计划的制造研究成果来克服。更具体地说，在重新构想光伏制造中，我们将应用槽模涂层和喷墨材料打印的新功能，以创造与当今任何可用的太阳能电池不同的图案和自然灵感。此外，通过用目标激光退火取代通常用于制造无机薄膜太阳能电池的碳密集型热处理步骤，我们将能够在广泛的有用基板上制造这些太阳能电池，从而实现美观和经济上可行的PV与产品集成。我们以设计为主导的光伏制造方法的一个重要特点是，它本质上优先考虑可持续性。更具体地说，我们的目标是具有低浪费和无毒材料的可扩展，快速和节能的制造工艺。我们还将评估回收和再利用太阳能电池中有价值组件的机会，作为其寿命终止退役的一部分。该计划有两条关键的影响途径。首先，它的设计主导原则可以应用于英国和世界各地其他研究小组正在开发的几种有前途的光伏材料。其次，我们将让产品设计师和工程师在关键领域的创新方面有专门的知识，参与我们的制造研究。这是新颖的，也是当前模式的一个重要区别，目前的模式侧重于技术开发，最终，这些路线的结合将创造出引人注目的新产品，并加速全球的碳节约。

This programme, Reimagining Photovoltaics Manufacturing, is an adventurous and ambitious follow-on programme to an initial feasibility study, Photovoltaic Paint. It focuses on achieving the manufacturing research breakthroughs needed to enable a design-led approach to photovoltaics (PV) manufacturing which will result in much tighter aesthetic integration of PV with products in the built environment and automotive sectors. Ultimately, this will substantially increase the global deployment of sustainable electricity and disrupt the current model of PV manufacturing, creating significant commercial opportunities for the UK.Current PV manufacturing relies critically on economies of scale with around two-thirds of manufacturing occurring in Asia. The problem with this approach is that PV modules are now highly standardised and only near-term competitive in large-scale, solar farm applications. This limits the rate at which PV deployment can grow globally in a period when tangible carbon dioxide savings are vital. A further disadvantage is that PV manufacturing is 95% based on silicon wafer technology which is brittle and requires capital intensive facilities. In turn, this limits the opportunities for seamless product integration to niche applications which are currently not cost effective.Our central research hypothesis is that these barriers can be overcome using the manufacturing research outcomes from the initial Photovoltaic Paint programme. More specifically, in Reimagining Photovoltaics Manufacturing, we will apply new capabilities in slot-die coating and inkjet materials printing to create patterned and nature-inspired solar cells that are unlike anything available today. Furthermore, by replacing a carbon-intensive thermal processing step commonly used in the manufacturing of inorganic thin film solar cells with targeted laser annealing, we will be able to manufacture these solar cells on a wide range of useful substrates that allow aesthetic and economically viable integration of PV with products.An important feature of our design-led approach to PV manufacturing is that it inherently prioritises sustainability. More specifically, we are targeting scalable, rapid and energy efficient manufacturing processes with low wastage and non-toxic materials. We will also assess the opportunity to recover and reuse valuable components of our solar cells as part of their end-of-life decommissioning.The programme has two key routes to impact. Firstly, its design-led principles can be applied to several promising PV materials being developed by other research groups in the UK and around the world. Secondly, we will involve product designers and engineers with specific knowledge of innovation in key sectors, in our manufacturing research. This is novel and an important distinction to the current model which focuses on technology development and ultimately, the combination of these routes will create compelling new products and accelerate carbon savings worldwide.