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Printed Interconnection for Circular and Recyclable Photovoltaic Modules
Master internship - Genk | Just now
The Urgent Need for Sustainable Solar Module Innovation
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. 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.
Profile and motivation: This project is suited for a motivated student with a background in materials, physics, engineering, or a related field, who enjoys hands-on laboratory work and understanding the science behind materials and devices. Interest in photovoltaics, polymers, and materials characterization is welcome; prior experience is a plus but not required.
This project focuses on design for recycling (DfR) of PV modules. Today’s commercial PV modules are difficult to disassemble at end-of-life because strong encapsulants make material recovery challenging. In this project, we will investigate new metallization, interconnection and module assembly approaches that make PV modules easier to assemble, disassemble and recycle. The work will include printing of the interconnection of solar cells using screen-printing-based methods. The fabricated mini-modules will be studied using electrical and material characterization techniques, including contact resistivity and line resistivity measurements, optical microscopy, SEM, (UV–visible) spectroscopy, current-voltage (IV) measurements, electroluminescence (EL) imaging and photoluminescence (PL) imaging, and monitored during accelerated reliability tests such as thermal cycling, damp heat and humidity-freeze testing.
The results of the work may contribute to the development of next-generation sustainable PV modules designed for easier recycling and reduced environmental impact.
Based on the results obtained during the thesis/internship, there may also be the possibility to develop a PhD proposal for FWO funding, with submission planned for March 2027. In case of approval, the student could start the PhD program from November 2027.
The work will be carried out in the newly built laboratories at imec in EnergyVille campus, Genk, working within the MPOWER team on PV module technology.
Type of project: Combination of internship and thesis
Duration: 6-9 months
Required degree: Master of Engineering Technology, Master of Engineering Science, Master of Science
Type of internship: Master internship
Duration: 6 -9 months
Required educational background: Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Energy, Physics
Supervising scientist(s): For further information or for application, please contact Hamed Javanbakht Lomeri (Hamed.JavanbakhtLomeri@imec.be) and Jonathan Govaerts (Jonathan.Govaerts@imec.be)
The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-228. Mention this reference code in your application.
Imec allowance will be provided for students studying at a non-Belgian university.
Applications should include the following information:
- resume
- motivation
- current study
Incomplete applications will not be considered.