The PEPPERONI project has had a vibrant November, with partners actively participating in events and workshops to drive forward solar energy research and knowledge exchange. Here are the key moments from a month filled with innovation, collaboration, and outreach.
Industry workshop: Boosting the Exploitation and COMmercialisation of Emerging PV technologies
From 20 to 22 November 2024, the BECOME PV Workshop was held in Brussels, bringing together around 80 experts from leading European research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and key stakeholders in the photovoltaic (PV) value chain. Organised by imec in collaboration with the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA JP PV Solar Energy), the workshop focused on boosting the exploitation and commercialisation of emerging PV technologies. This high-impact event was supported by a joint initiative of seven Horizon Europe projects, including PEPEPRONI.
PEPEPRONI played an integral role in the workshop, with Quentin Jeangros (CSEM), leader of Work Package 4, contributing as part of the scientific committee. Our technology coordinator, Fabian Fertig (Qcells) delivered an engaging presentation on the project’s progress in perovskite/silicon PV research, sparking discussions on tackling financial and technical barriers to commercialising perovskite-based tandem solar cells.
The event provided a platform for excellent talks and intensive discussions addressing critical challenges in advancing perovskite and organic photovoltaic (OPV) technologies. Topics ranged from perovskite-based tandem PV technologies and cost competition analyses to large-area processing, life-cycle assessments, critical materials, toxicity, bankability, stability, reliability, circularity, and innovative business models. The workshop concluded with highly positive feedback from attendees, who praised the event for its relevance and depth.
Expanding horizons: PEPPERONI at conferences and meetings
On 21 and 22 November, PEPEPRONI partners participated in the 32nd Leoben Conference on Polymer Engineering and Science, Austria. The conference, themed “New Materials – New Perspectives”, featured over 200 participants from academia and industry, with a strong focus on sustainable processing and recycling technologies. Chiara Barretta and Petra Christöfl from the Polymer Competence Center Leoben (PCCL) presented a poster showcasing PEPEPRONI’s innovative approach to perovskite materials in PV technologies. Their contribution provided a valuable opportunity to promote the project’s vision for sustainability and innovation.
Meanwhile, project coordinator, Bernd Stannowski from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) represented PEPEPRONI at two events. The first, Energy Day at the Embassy of Lithuania in Berlin, Germany facilitated meaningful exchanges on research collaborations. Bernd’s participation underscored the project’s role in fostering European partnerships for advancing solar technologies. PEPEPRONI’s coordinator also attended the 20th China SoG Silicon and PV Power Conference, held in Xiamen, China. The event focusing on advanced manufacturing processes, recycling in silicon PVs, and emerging trends in high-efficiency solar cells, brought together experts in silicon materials and PV technology from around the globe to discuss the solar industry’s advancements. With his talk on “Monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells: Which silicon surface texture is the best choice?”, Bernd Stannowski presented the project’s research on optimising silicon surface textures to enhance the performance of tandem solar cells – drawing significant attention from attendees. PEPEPRONI’s participation not only underlined its commitment to advancing perovskite/Si tandem technology, but positioned Europe’s research as competitive on the global scale.
Inspiring the next generation through open science
An equally interesting highlight came from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania, where PEPEPRONI partners engaged with students at Kaunas Santara Gymnasium in Lithuania. On 22 November, Šarūnė Daškevičiūtė, Aistė Jagorovė, and Ernestas Kasparavičius delivered a lecture on “Solar Energy: Combating Climate Change” to approximately 70 pupils aged 16-17. The session included a mix of scientific insights into solar cell technology, practical experiments, and a hands-on activity where students constructed their own mini solar cells. This initiative demonstrates PEPEPRONI’s partners’ dedication to open science and to inspiring young minds to explore renewable energy solutions fora sustainable future.
November was an active month for the PEPEPRONI partners, showcasing the project’s innovative research across diverse platforms and engaging stakeholders from academia, industry, and education. As the project continues to make strides in advancing perovskite/Si tandems, we invite you to stay tuned for more updates.
Don’t miss the latest news in our upcoming PEPPERONI newsletter, where we’ll delve deeper into PV technology trends and unveil what’s next for the project. Subscribe here.
