Vorfahrt – Cost Reduction of III-V Cells and Modules for Aircraft and Vehicle Applications

This project aims to develop cost-effective cell and module technologies based on highly efficient III-V multi-junction solar cells for markets where high efficiency promises particular advantages, for example in electric aircraft and vehicles.

If aircraft and vehicles have an electric drive in the future, integrated photovoltaics could directly cover a proportion of their electricity requirements. As space on vehicles and aircraft is limited, solar cells with a particularly high efficiency, such as those currently used in space, would be particularly suitable. This project is developing technologies for market-competitive PV modules based on III-V tandem solar cells for these and other terrestrial applications.

The project consortium has set itself the following milestones:

• The production of III-V multi-junction solar cells with reduced germanium requirements and even solar cells entirely without germanium
• The development of technologies for automated interconnection and encapsulation of III-V solar cells
• To demonstrate the potential of the technology, a world record module with an efficiency ≥ 33.3 % (AM1.5G) is to be produced with an area ≥ 800 cm².

The technologies developed are to be evaluated in an initial field of application, aviation, using an electric aircraft from Elektra Solar. In addition, a III-V PV car roof is to be produced as a demonstrator and concepts for further cost reduction are to be identified for the vehicle market. The project thus ranges from the research and development of new solar cell and module technologies to testing and demonstration in obvious fields of application.