Photovoltaics

»If we want an environmentally friendly energy supply, we must use the energy of the sun. Solar cells convert solar energy directly into electrical energy. Our goal is to exploit this potential and develop more efficient solar cells.«

Dr. Karsten von Maydell, Head of the Photovoltaics Department

NEXT ENERGY is working on innovative thin-film solar cells, which are around 100 times thinner than traditional wafer-based solar cells. We are focussing on the material silicon in amorphous and microcrystalline form, deposited as a multispectral solar cell. This technology contains enormous cost-saving potential as it requires considerably less material. The process leading up to an enclosed solar module is also easier to manage. The solar modules are constructed on substrates (e.g. glass) using large coating systems. The thin-film technology makes it possible to deposit solar cells to flexible substrates made of plastic or thin metal film, to be used for example on weak roofs.

In contrast to other thin-film technologies (CIS or CdTe), silicon has the advantage of being copiously available and harmless to the environment. Our aim is to play a key role in gradually improving the efficiency of silicon thin-film solar cells.