Advancing the efficiency and production potential of Excitonic Solar Cells (APEX)
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science
Abstract
This project is centred on the development of the materials, device structures, materials processing and PV-panel engineering of excitonic solar cells (ESCs). These have the potential to greatly reduce both materials and also manufacturing costs where the materials, such as organic semiconductors, dyes and metal oxides, can be processed onto low-cost flexible substrates at ambient temperature through direct printing techniques. A major cost reduction is expected to lie in much-reduced capital investment in large scale manufacturing plant in comparison with conventional high vacuum, high temperatures semiconductor processing. There are extensive research programs in the UK and India developing these devices with the objective of the increase in PV efficiency through improved understanding of the fundamental processes occurring in these optoelectronic composites. However, there has been less activity in the UK and India on establishing from this science base a scalable, commercially viable processing protocol for excitonic solar cells. The scope of this UK-India call enables research and development to be undertaken which can pull together the set of activities to enable manufacturing application, and this extends beyond the usual scope of funding schemes accessible to the investigators. This project tackles the challenge to create cost-effective excitonic solar cells through three components: new material synthesis of lower cost materials; processing and development of device (nano)architectures compatible with low process costs; and the scale up towards prototypes which can replicate solar cell performance achieved in the research phase. The team includes leading scientists in the UK and India working on excitonic solar cells. Skills range from material synthesis and processing, device fabrication and modelling, wet processing of large area thin films, and PV panel manufacture and testing. Careful consideration has been made to match and complement the skills on both sides of the UK-India network. Further to this, engagement with industrial partners in both the UK and India will allow access to new materials, substrates etc., and access to trials and testing of demonstration PV panels in the field.
Planned Impact
The environmental benefits of PV power generation are well established. In this regard, excitonic PV technologies exhibit significant potential advantages of existing inorganic PV technologies in terms of energy payback time (typically estimated at less than one year for both DSC and BHJ devices, compared to 3-5 years for silicon) and avoidance of toxic metals. Excitonic solar cells are rapidly moving from the university lab to commercial implementation - with extensive industrially based R & D programmes worldwide. The Indian market is ideally suited to this technology, due to the potentially much lower capital expenditure costs associated with both manufacturing plants and module sales. The development of lighter flexible modules will involve lower upfront costs and relatively low installation costs and skills, which in particular will provide cheaper solutions for stand alone microgeneration based systems. We have already established a clear exploitation pathway for this project. Our participating companies include all the UK SME companies engaged in the development of excitonic solar cells. G24i is already established as the world leader in the development of flexible dye sensitised solar cells - a product ideally suited to off grid applications in rural india. It has already invested over 60m in a production facility in Cardiff, Wales. Regarding the organic solar cells, our proposal includes both the commercial initiatives supported by the Carbon Trust recently announced PV Accelerator programme (with a total of 10m of CT support). Solar Press UK Ltd has been set up by the Carbon Trust, with close links with Imperial College organic PV academics with the objective of developing a roll to roll OPV production technology. The second Carbon trust venture is based at Cambridge University, under the direction of Professor Friend and will be developing methods for direct printing of OPV. There is thus excellent potential for project to encourage the commercial development of these UK based SME's, including not only scientific and technological collaborations, but also new market pathways. The commercial exploitations pathways for the UK are further strengthened by the inclusion of two key materials supply companies. Pilkington Group and Dupont Teijin are the largest suppliers of glass and plastic substrates respectively, a successful outcome of the project would benefit them substantially in terms of materials supply. Whilst the UK companies are likely to benefit from this project in terms of materials supply and production technology development, mass production for the Indian market is likely to be based in India (this is for example already established in Solar Press's business model). Therefore the inclusion of two substantial production companies in India, Moser Bauer and BHEL greatly strengthens the potential commercial exploitation of this project. Moser Baer, New Delhi (India) has leveraged its core competencies in high volume manufacturing of optical media products to create a world class inorganic PV manufacturing facility. They have identified excitonic PV technologies as of particular interest to them. BHEL is the largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in India in the energy-related sector and thin film PV manufacturing, and have again identified excitonic PV technologies as of particular interest to the Indian PV market. There are thus clear exploitation pathways for the results of this project which can be expected to lead to significant job and wealth creation within both the UK and India. In addition to these environmental, economic and industrial benefits, this proposal is designed to substantially advance the development and integration UK and Indian academic research communities, to enable knowledge exchange between partners such that best practice is disseminated as widely as possible and to train and motivate a cohort of young scientists in the science and technology of Excitonic PV..
Organisations
- Heriot-Watt University (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad (Collaboration)
- National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India (Collaboration)
- Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (Collaboration)
- INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI (Collaboration)
- National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (Collaboration)
- JNCASR Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Hari Upadhyaya (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
O'Mahony F
(2015)
Improved environmental stability of organic lead trihalide perovskite-based photoactive-layers in the presence of mesoporous TiO 2
in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
O'Mahony FT
(2013)
Low-temperature solution processing of mesoporous metal-sulfide semiconductors as light-harvesting photoanodes.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
O'Regan B
(2012)
Dye adsorption, desorption, and distribution in mesoporous TiO2 films, and its effects on recombination losses in dye sensitized solar cells
in Energy & Environmental Science
Paquin F
(2013)
Two-dimensional spatial coherence of excitons in semicrystalline polymeric semiconductors: Effect of molecular weight
in Physical Review B
Planells M
(2012)
Naphthyl Derivatives Functionalised with Electron Acceptor Units - Synthesis, Electronic Characterisation and DFT Calculations
in European Journal of Organic Chemistry
Planells M
(2014)
Luminescent Polymer Films from Simple Processing of Coronene and Europium Precursors in Water
in European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry
Planells M
(2014)
Oligothiophene interlayer effect on photocurrent generation for hybrid TiO(2)/P3HT solar cells.
in ACS applied materials & interfaces
Planells M
(2014)
Effect of torsional twist on 2nd order non-linear optical activity of anthracene and pyrene tricyanofuran derivatives.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Planells M
(2013)
Diacetylene bridged triphenylamines as hole transport materials for solid state dye sensitized solar cells
in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Planells M
(2013)
Synthesis and optical characterisation of triphenylamine-based hole extractor materials for CdSe quantum dots.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Rath T
(2015)
Formation of porous SnS nanoplate networks from solution and their application in hybrid solar cells.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Reeta P
(2014)
Ethynyl thiophene-appended unsymmetrical zinc porphyrin sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells
in RSC Adv.
Richards C
(2012)
The Mechanism of Iodine Reduction by TiO 2 Electrons and the Kinetics of Recombination in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Shivanna R
(2014)
Charge generation and transport in efficient organic bulk heterojunction solar cells with a perylene acceptor
in Energy Environ. Sci.
Shoaee S
(2013)
Charge Photogeneration for a Series of Thiazolo-Thiazole Donor Polymers Blended with the Fullerene Electron Acceptors PCBM and ICBA
in Advanced Functional Materials
Swami SK
(2014)
Spray deposited copper zinc tin sulphide (Cu2ZnSnS4) film as a counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Upadhyaya H
(2013)
Recent progress and the status of dye-sensitised solar cell (DSSC) technology with state-of-the-art conversion efficiencies
in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Wang JT
(2014)
Low-temperature processed electron collection layers of graphene/TiO2 nanocomposites in thin film perovskite solar cells.
in Nano letters
Wei Z
(2014)
Design and optimisation of process parameters in an in-line CIGS evaporation pilot system
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Wei Z
(2014)
Effect of mechanical compression on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 films: micro-structural and photoluminescence analysis
in RSC Advances
Wood S
(2014)
In situ formation of organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructures for photovoltaic applications.
in Faraday discussions
Zhong H
(2013)
Fused Dithienogermolodithiophene Low Band Gap Polymers for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells without Processing Additives
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Description | A breakthrough in the perovskite solar cells research took place through the researchers at Oxford University, Prof. Henry Snaith, the inventor of the Perovskite Solar Cell technology who brought about an unprecedented development in this area of research. This along with other efforts from other Indian and UK partners helped APEX program achieve most of its technical, scientific and exchange objectives. APEX was adjudged as one of the best six projects amongst all RCUK project portfolio. |
Exploitation Route | The key findings of the project such as large are scale up of the Dye-sensitised solar cell, Organic PV and Perovskite solar cells and their IPs acquired already with partners has generated a good interests among the manufacturing companies like Tata, NSG-Pilkington, E4U, who see an opportunity of product development with APEX partners. |
Sectors | Chemicals Energy Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
URL | http://hariupadhyaya.wix.com/apex-1 |
Description | The project in its first phase had generated interests amongst some top industries/organisations in India and the UK viz. Oxford solar, TataSteel, Tatacapitals, SPECIFIC-IKC (Swansea University) who have joined the second phase of the project funding- Newton APEX-II. This has also led companies and partners to come together to form a team with specific additional objectives along the current government of India policies of clean environment, waste /sanitation management through the mix of renewable energy technologies as an outcome of the APEX-II program. |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Chemicals,Education,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | Newton APEX-PHASE-II |
Amount | £1,280,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/M023532/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2014 |
End | 11/2016 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Department | Department of Chemistry |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | Indian Institute of Science Bangalore |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | JNCASR Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India |
Country | India |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India |
Country | India |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | Cavendish Laboratory |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | School of Chemistry |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | APEX Phase-1 |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thos project was a collaborative initiative by RCUK Indian and DST in India to bring together partners from India and the UK to work in the solar energy research area. There have been about eight joint publication and one joint patent filed with partners in India involving also NSG-Pilkington group. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Indian partners have been quite proactive in also developing organic solar cell modules and novel materials for the solar cell research towards the development of a cost effective process. |
Impact | Already uploaded. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Coordination of the APEX project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The coordination visits taken up by the PI of the APEX program was also highly acknowledged regarded by the final specialists of the interview panel for its recommendation from APEX-1 to APEX -II transition. the coordination visits on average 2-3 visits in India per year covering at leat 4 partner institution for keeping the momentum on and mobilising the researchers was the significant element recognised as the excellent leadership and for the success of the project. The APEX-i program was selected as one of the best PV related projects between India and the UK announced by RCUK in June 2015. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016 |
URL | http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/media/films/ |