NSERC Photovoltaic innovation network

The proposed NSERC Photovoltaic Innovation Network is comprised of 29 top scientists and engineers working in the field of advanced solar cell research, in 13 universities across Canada. The Network has strong support from partners in the private and public sector in Canada, who together aim to raise the status of solar photovoltaics (PV) as a renewable energy option in Canada by accelerating research and development, thereby translating this work into successful commercialization outcomes. In particular, the Network will develop new Intellectual Property in PV for adoption by Canadian industry to supply strong domestic demand (currently met by foreign companies) and to compete in a rapidly growing global marketplace. The Network will intensively train 88 research personnel over 5 years, providing highly skilled and creative employees to fill positions in industry and academia. PV cells convert light from the broad solar spectrum directly to electricity, with theenergy conversion efficiency and cost (in $/W) being the most important device metrics. The proposed collaborative and multi-disciplinary research program has the specific objectives of increasing the device conversion efficiency and/or reducing the device cost to make large scale PV deployment more competitive vs. electricity generation from fossil fuels. Four central research themes have been identified with promising new approaches; a) organic devices with inherently low costs of materials and manufacturing, b) inorganic devices which to date are the mostly widely deployed (through either Silicon-based solar panels) and have achieved record efficiencies (through multi-junction based concentrator systems), c) hybrid organic/inorganic devices with the potential to combine the lower costs of organic devices with the higher efficiencies of inorganic devices and d) new PV devices and architectures which take advantage of the unique properties of nano-structured materials. Transparent solar cells optimized for integration into house or building windows and socioeconomic factors related to adoption of PV technology will also be considered. Research results will be publicly disseminated through a new website dedicated to public outreach in solar energy.