HI-PROSPECTS - HIgh resolution PRinting Of Solar Photovoltaic EleCTrode Structures

PV OEMs face continued pressure to reduce the cost/W of solar cells. Additionally, they face significant price volatility and
overall cost for Ag electrode structures. Second and third generation PV cell manufacturers also face high costs for ITO
and high performance TCO coated glass. Therefore technologies that enable cell efficiency gains and that facilitate the
replacement of expensive materials with cost effective alternatives generate strong business opportunities. The HIPROSPECTS
team will deliver a high resolution (< 3 microns) electrostatic ink jet (ESJET) technology capable of printing
cost effective nano Cu front contact electrodes for Si cells and fine line Cu grid structures as a cost effective alternative to
ITO. In addition, the team will develop Si-Perovskite tandem cells with an efficiency of up to 26% at a cost < £230/ kWp.

HI-PROSPECTS delivers developments with TRL's from 3 - 6 and will therefore apply industrial research throughout.
.Exploitable results are: 1. Non-contact ESJET process for depositing hi-resolution conductive interconnects, 2. Process for
depositing fine line grid structures , 3. Cu front contact electrode metalisation process, 4. Low cost alternative to ITO & 5.
Process for manufacturing Si-Perovskite tandem cells. We will exploit results in PV applications and the ESJET technology
will be exploited in OLEDs and printed electronics. Foreground IP generated from this work will be owned by the relevant
partner(s) and all valuable IP will be protected where applicable using patents, copyright & trademarks prior to any public
dissemination.
In addition to disseminating our knowledge and results to our potential end users, we also intend to share all the publicly
disseminatable deliverables within the scientific and academic communities related to our end users (subject to agreement
by all partners). We will disseminate our results via the following routes:
1. Project website: For the dissemination of information on the HI-PROSPECTS project to the wider professional community
and the general public.
2. Publications: Authorship of papers in peer reviewed journals, promoting the results of the HI-PROSPECTS project
inclusive of: APL Materials, Nano Letters, Solar Energy Materials and Solar cells, Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and
Applications, Energy and Environmental Science, Advanced Energy Materials.
3. Special Interest Groups: Attendance at the Solar PV Special Interest Group
4. Conferences and Events: Presentation posters/exhibition stands at UK and major international academic conferences,
such as: Solar Energy UK, Ser Solar, PVSAT, EU PVSEC, MRS conference, EMRS conference, Electrochemical Society
Meeting, and IEEE Photovoltaic for the presentation of the project results and demonstration to potential partners and end
users.
5. Promotion to professional bodies, networks and trade associations: Actively promoting the outputs and exploitation
opportunities to: European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), British PhotoVoltaic Association (BPVA), open days at
SPECIFIC.

Broader Impact
Environmental:
The HI-PROSPECTS project contributes to a range of community and societal objectives and directly support the
governments Renewables Obligation. There are a number of European directives that relate to PV generation and are
directly addressed by this project, specifically:
Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU that establishes a set of binding measures to enable the EU to reach its 20%
energy efficiency target by 2020;
Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU that sets a target for all new buildings to be nearly zero energy by 2020.
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions (2004/101/EC) - Which established a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance
trading within the EC in-line with the Kyoto Protocol;
Social: The environmental benefits identified above will result in social benefits in terms of reduced air pollution. The direct
social benefits will be achieved through increased UK manufacture, benefitting UK PLC more broadly in terms of increased
turnover, balance of trade and increased employment resulting from the manufacture and supply from 2019 onwards. In
addition, increased commercial activity, resulting in increased employment opportunities will be achieved for the supply
chain partners of each of the industrial partners. In addition, there are expected to be substantial spill-over benefits in other
non-competing manufacturing sectors. HI-PROSPECTS will make renewable solar powered energy generation more cost
effective, delivering significant benefits in terms of addressing fuel poverty. The increased solar capacity installed within the
UK will furthermore improve the security of the UK's energy supply.