Alexander Goebel studied physics at the University of Bonn and has been working as a scientist at Fraunhofer ISE since January 2023. Since September 2023 he is a doctoral student at the Department of Engineering at the University of Freiburg. His doctoral research, for which Goebel is now being supported with the scholarship until 2027, consists of the analysis, modeling and elimination of edge-induced power losses in high-efficiency shingle solar cells.

"In modern module technology, silicon solar cells are cut at least once in half in order to save conductor material and increase PV module efficiency," explains Goebel’s doctoral supervisor Dr. Ralf Preu, director of the Photovoltaics Division at Fraunhofer ISE and lecturer at the University of Freiburg. "This performance gain could be improved even more if we could get a better grip on the losses at the cut edges of the solar cells. Alexander Goebel's research will provide a deeper understanding of these losses with the aim of improving the efficiency of future solar cells. We are very pleased that the Nagelschneider Foundation is recognizing and financially supporting this project."

Shingle solar cells are more affected by these effects because the edge length is proportionately large compared to its area. On the other hand, modules made from shingle solar cells offer the highest power densities and a variable form factor. This makes them ideal for integrated PV applications, such as vehicle roofs or hoods.

Various separation processes that are as gentle as possible are already being used to cut the original cells into shingle solar cells. "Countermeasures for the edge recombination that occurs in the process are now becoming relevant, as the separation techniques are at their limit and the losses at the cut edges are determined by the mere existence of the edge," says scholarship holder Alexander Goebel. "In my doctoral research I aim to gain a deeper understanding of the processes at the cut edges of solar cells and develop a model to precisely describe these." The research is partly embedded in the project "Love letter - laser-induced bonding and micro-welding contacts for better and more resource-efficient series interconnection of flexible solar cell strings", supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection BMWK.

The Nagelschneider Foundation was established in 2000 by Hildegard Nagelschneider as a public foundation with legal capacity under civil law in Munich to promote and research renewable energy sources such as solar, biomass, wind, water and geothermal energy and thus create a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy supply system. The foundation's funding focus is on project-related funding in the form of scholarships for doctoral students.