The ultimate objective of this project is to build a printing machine for organic solar cells. It addresses 3rd generation photovoltaic market. Nevertheless, the first approach will focus on inkjet printing for silicon solar cells, developing machinery which substitutes actual serigraphic process.
At this moment, Mondragon Assembly is positioned in traditional PV machinery manufacturing. The last year’s exponential growth of this market is being now stopped by actual legal uncertainties. The new feed-in tariffs, and new photovoltaic support system will be published in September, and it seems that BIPV will be the key factor in new policies, opening in this way a new big market. Mondragon Assembly will address this new market developing new products. In this new market, it will be essential to present good aesthetics properties and low cost, which is the aim of polymeric solar cells.
The main innovation objectives in this first part of the project are:
- To develop new compatible inks for silicon cell printing with good printability, low contact resistance properties over a wide range of n-type emitters, low sheet resistance and good soldering properties. Multilayer configurations of metallic contact will also be studied.
- To print head design and construction, which meets industrial requirements (industrial speeds, robust design, maintenance time, safety systems).
This technology will permit very low cost photovoltaic glasses which will be the best positioned for BIPV applications. This is the unique technology which enables "COLOR PANELS". The rest of existing technologies give always black solar panels. With these organic inks, the architects will choose the colour which fits better with the building.
