Fabrication of Sustainable Si Solar Modules and Their Reliability and Performance Assessment

To achieve the targets of the energy transition aligned with the Paris Agreement, photovoltaic (PV) electricity must become a cornerstone of global energy supply. By 2050, installed PV capacity needs to grow from around 1 TW in 2022 to 15–60 TW. This massive expansion demands high-efficiency, low-cost PV technologies with a low carbon footprint. However, scaling up solar energy at this pace presents major sustainability challenges. The current manufacturing processes for high-efficiency PV modules are resource-intensive, relying heavily on scarce and expensive materials such as silver (Ag), indium (In) and Bismuth (Bi).

If current trends continue, PV manufacturing alone could consume a substantial portion of global materials reserves within the next few decades. Moreover, considering that PV modules have a typical lifespan of 20–30 years, billions of modules will reach end-of-life in the coming decades, locking up tons of precious materials in complex, difficult-to-recycle assemblies. These challenges necessitate the urgent need for sustainable approaches in solar module fabrication.

In this project, two complementary strategies are being pursued to support large-scale PV deployment. The first approach focuses on creating a leaner module design by reducing dependence on scarce and toxic materials. The student will work on the module assembly, with a particular emphasis on advanced multi-wire interconnection and lamination technologies. The objective is to develop and evaluate Bi-free or fully solder-free interconnection solutions. This involves working with various encapsulant types (such as TPO, EVA, and POE), considering their specific properties, including rheology, thickness, and melting temperature, as well as adapting interconnection for different cell architectures (e.g., PERC, TOPCon, SHJ).

The second approach is centred on design for recycling (DfR). Today’s commercial PV modules are difficult to dismantle at end-of-life due to the use of strong encapsulants, which hinder efficient material recovery. This part of the project investigates novel metallization, interconnection, and lamination techniques that facilitate easier disassembly and recycling. The work involves optimizing the metallization process (screen printing) and evaluating materials and interfaces using advanced characterization methods (optical microscopy, SEM, photo-spectroscopy), and polymer characterization techniques such as CTE testing, etc. For both approaches, the fabricated modules will undergo performance assessment (IV measurements and EL imaging) and be monitored throughout accelerated reliability testing (thermal cycling, damp heat, humidity freeze…).

The work will be carried out in the newly built laboratories at imec in EnergyVille campus, Genk, working within the Wafer PV team.