Masdar PV and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin partner to accelerate development of next generation thin film crystalline silicon PV technology
• HZB’s first milestone achieved by succeeding in depositing a thin, crystalline 10μm layer of silicon on glass utilizing laser-crystallization
MASDAR PV and HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM Berlin have strengthened their R&D partnership, focusing resources on development of next generation thin film Si technology. After successful cooperation in the development of Masdar PV´s first and second generation thin film silicon based solar cells, Masdar and HZB/PVcomB are now moving ahead to accelerate deployment of a new generation of thin film crystalline silicon based PV.
HZB has achieved the first milestone on this technology roadmap by succeeding in depositing a thin, crystalline 10μm layer of silicon on glass utilizing laser-crystallization. “Thin film crystalline silicon based PV can achieve high efficiency with low material cost”, explains Prof Bernd Rech. “Thus, it combines the advantages of incumbent, wafer-based crystalline silicon PV and thin film Si technology. Moreover, thin film crystalline silicon uses only abundantly available materials. We are confident to reach efficiencies comparable to wafer based crystalline silicon technology. On a long-term basis we are aiming for 20 % and beyond with thin film Si technology.”
Recent developments at HZB on crystalline thin film Si solar cells have triggered the interest of MASDAR PV to invest in related R&D. HZB researchers demonstrated a world record value for the open-circuit voltage of 582 mV for c-Si on glass. This break-through result, the excellent material properties of thin film crystalline silicon created by Liquid Phase Crystallization as well as promising processability of the material initiated the shift in R&D focus now announced by Masdar PV and HZB / PVcomB. “We expect that thin film crystalline silicon solar cells can achieve 14% efficiency cells in the short to mid-term”, says Prof. Rutger Schlatmann, leader of the technology transfer unit PVcomB at the HZB, “and we are confident that rapid technological progress is possible in this field”.
Masdar PV is aiming to transfer this technology into its existing production facilities and therefore deliver this new technology on modules up to full size (5.7m²).
“Investing in the R&D of this next generation technology of thin film silicon on glass to produce PV panels could enable us to better compete with existing crystalline PV producers who rely on economies of scale rather than significant technology improvements”, says Masdar PV’s MD Tushita Ranchan.
About Masdar PV GmbH
Masdar PV GmbH develops and produces innovative thin-film solar products and solutions. The company is a 100 % subsidiary of Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multifaceted initiative for innovative renewable energy technologies, launched and owned by Mubadala Development Company.
The selection of module sizes that customers can choose from and the products’ advantageous cost-benefit ratio ensure that the high-tech modules from Masdar PV are ideally suited for ground-mounted installations and large-area rooftop systems. Transparent and colored modules allow architects to build futuristic, façade- and roof-integrated PV installations.
Please visit our website for additional information: www.masdarpv.com
- AI-driven Catalyst Discovery: €30 million funding for German consortiumSix partners from research and industry, including Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), the Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max Planck Society (FHI), BASF, Dunia Innovations, Siemens Energy, and the Technical University Berlin are launching a joint project to accelerate the catalyst discovery. The German Federal Ministry for Science, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is providing €30 million in funding for ASCEND (Accelerated Solutions for Catalysis using Emerging Nanotechnology and Digital Innovation). The research initiative targets the defossilisation of energy-intensive industries while safeguarding industrial competitiveness, with a focus on the chemical sector. The five-year project will start on 1st April 2026.
- Kick-off for a new data and AI centre in BerlinBy establishing a new data and AI centre in Berlin, the Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB) and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) are laying the foundations for a scalable and sovereign data infrastructure in the capital. The project strengthens the scientific capabilities of Berlin’s research community whilst making an important contribution to research security, resilience and technological independence.
- Berlin Battery Lab: BAM, HZB and HU are conducting joint research on sodium batteriesThe Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU) today officially inaugurated the Berlin Battery Lab (BBL). At this new research platform, BAM, HZB and HU jointly develop and test resource-efficient battery technologies with a focus on sodium-based systems. Together, they develop new materials, investigate innovative cell chemistries, and produce battery prototypes. The research infrastructure of the Berlin Battery Lab is also open to external partners from science and industry and is designed to accelerate the transfer from research to application.