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Without a significant reduction in silver content, the global demand for photovoltaics to ensure a sustainable, climate-neutral energy system cannot be met. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have now produced silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJ) with a total silver consumption of just 1.4 milligrams per watt peak. This is about one tenth of the current standard in industrial production. To achieve this, they strongly reduced the silver content in the metallization paste for the front side metallization and completely replaced silver with copper paste on the rear side. An optimized printing process also ensured very fine electrical contacts. The copper-metallized SHJ solar cells even achieved a higher efficiency than their reference cells with traditional silver contacts.

Wall chargers for charging electric vehicles can be found on more and more homes. But how can the solar power from your own roof be used as smartly as possible? In the “Wallbox Inspektion” project, a consortium consisting of Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, HTW Berlin and ADAC e.V. developed the first test procedure for solar-optimized controlled charging and used it to test wall chargers available on the market. Together with an industry advisory board, a test guideline for unidirectional and solar charging was developed and the test results are quantified in a score that is easy to understand for end users. The intention is to increase transparency for consumers in the wall chargers market and establish a quality standard for the industry. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has been conducting world-leading research on highly efficient III-V multi-junction solar cells for over 20 years. To further develop this promising next generation PV technology and lead it to economic success, the institute is now receiving prominent support: The Werner Siemens Foundation will fund the project "Sustainable Energy Transition through High Efficiency Tandem Photovoltaics" with 14 million euros until 2032.

Reports of UV-induced degradation in TOPCon-based photovoltaic modules are currently a concern for the PV industry. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is therefore investigating common test methods for their validity. The latest results of their comparative indoor and outdoor tests show that the currently used UV tests rate the degradation of TOPCon silicon PV modules significantly higher than the actual performance reduction. To achieve more meaningful test results in the laboratory, the PV modules must be stabilized after UV exposure and before performance measurement. This week, the institute presented comprehensive analyses of the recovery dynamics of TOPCon modules at the SiliconPV conference.

On April 3, 2025, Fraunhofer Chile celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Center for Solar Energy Technologies (CSET) with a festive event. The research center supports the development of a sustainable solar economy and the energy transition in Chile. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE was the initiator of the CSET's establishment and has closely cooperated with Chilean partners in various research fields since its inception.