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Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research TNO, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, and the three on-board solar technology system suppliers for vehicles Lightyear, IM Efficiency, and Sono Motors have measured the potential of solar cars on European roads for nine months. The results of the measurements confirm that solar panels on vehicles can be a valuable, mobile source of renewable energy for the transport sector. However, the findings also highlight significant challenges such as shading and user behavior.

In a joint research effort, scientists from the University of Ottawa, the National Research Council Canada NRC and Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE developed photonic power converters which convert 1446 nanometer laser light into electrical power with unprecedented 53.6 percent efficiency and an output voltage above 2 volts. These advancements pave the way for long-distance power transmission via optical fibers, for example in telecommunications, as well as free space applications. The results have recently been published open access in Cell Reports Physical Science.

In the course of the energy transition, the proportion of converter-based generation plants in the electricity grid is increasing rapidly, while conventional power plants are being taken off the grid at the same time. In the “SUREVIVE” project, a consortium from research and the energy industry is investigating for the first time in the German distribution grid how grid-forming inverters and a large battery storage system can stabilize the electricity grid. In preparation for the field test, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE is testing the systems in its multi-megawatt laboratory.

Anup Premaraj Kamath, Research assistant at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and master’s student at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, received the 1st “Bruno Scrosati Award” for his outstanding approach to the field of electrochemistry and energy storage. The award for international master’s students enrolled at a non-Italian university is in honor of late Prof. Bruno Scrosati, a pioneer in the early development of Lithium-ion batteries.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have succeeded in developing solar cells based on III-V semiconductors that can achieve an efficiency of over 40 percent indoors. By the optimized design and improved quality of the solar cell absorber material , the research team achieved remarkably high efficiencies even under very low light conditions of just 100 lux. This result makes this technology particularly attractive for autonomous Internet of Things (IoT) applications that operate indoors without an external wired power supply. The findings were published in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

In a joint research effort, scientists from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology KAUST and Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems successfully replaced spin-coating with blade-coating in the production of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. In a “hybrid route” combining evaporation and blade-coating to deposit perovskite solar cells on silicon bottom cells, they produced tandem solar cells with efficiencies approaching 28 percent. Their result opens a path to the large-scale production of this promising new solar cell technology.

Together with the company III/V-Reclaim, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have succeeded in producing high-quality indium phosphide on gallium arsenide substrates (InP-on-GaAs wafers) with up to 150 mm diameter. These new wafers can effectively replace classic indium phosphide in a variety of applications, offering a scalable pathway to lower cost. The research team developed a process to deposit a thin layer of high-quality InP on GaAs. Following a special surface treatment, these wafers are delivered epi-ready, enabling customers to directly grow III-V epitaxial structures and manufacture high-performance InP-based semiconductor devices.

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.

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.

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.