About the project
At the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, researchers are developing ultra-thin, highly efficient III-V solar cells. The research project “Sustainable Energy Transition through Ultra-High-Efficiency Tandem Photovoltaics”, conducted in collaboration with the Werner Siemens Foundation, aims to develop a new generation of solar cells and modules with significantly higher efficiency than current technologies. The focus is on tandem solar cells based on III-V semiconductors, which make particularly efficient use of the different spectral ranges of sunlight. The goal is to make the technology competitive for power generation on Earth through targeted research and development, thereby enabling its commercial application in Europe.
Objectives
Improve efficiency
Development of ultra-thin tandem solar cells and modules with significantly higher efficiency. Innovative module designs use solar concentration of up to 1,000 times.
Conserve resources
A reduction in semiconductor needs by three orders of magnitude enables significant energy and material savings. Higher module efficiencies also reduce the space required.
Reduce costs
A reduction in manufacturing costs by up to two orders of magnitude through innovative production processes.
Scale processes
Development of highly efficient manufacturing processes for III-V tandem solar cells and modules.
Project Management
The project is being carried out at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE.
The project is led by Dr. Frank Dimroth, Head of the III-V Photovoltaics and Concentrator Technology Department, and Prof. Dr. Andreas Bett, Director of Fraunhofer ISE and Professor at the Institute of Physics at the University of Freiburg.
Funding
The project “Sustainable Energy Transition through Highly Efficient Tandem Photovoltaics” is being funded by the Werner Siemens Foundation (WSS) with a total of 14 million euros over a period of 7.5 years (2025–2032).
In addition, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is providing an additional 1.4 million euros in funding.
