Recently, the Federal Government through the Australian Solar Institute awarded a A$5m grant to the collaborative partnership consisting of SilexSolar, UNSW and Suntech to develop advanced PV cell technology.

“This is a great result for SilexSolar and a fantastic opportunity to pool together some of the world’s best solar technology talent to develop higher efficiency solar cells and ultimately lower the cost of solar power for all Australians and consumers in off-shore markets,” Dr Michael Goldsworthy, Silex CEO said today. “This is the most effective way to catapult SilexSolar into the top group of solar technology companies who are leading the industry towards a sustainable and profitable future. The partnership will allow SilexSolar to achieve its first goal – to achieve maximum performance and economic benefit from conventional silicon-based solar cell technology. We will then be well-placed to further our second goal of developing new materials and ever-higher performance from solar technology,” he added.

“SilexSolar and UNSW are ideal partners for this solar research project, made possible by the vision and leadership of the Australian Solar Institute. Our long-term research collaborations with Australian organizations are central to driving solar innovation,” said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Chairman and CEO of Suntech, a graduate of UNSW, as well as a fellow at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE). “As our earth suffers under the strains of fossil fuel energy production, we are empowering individuals and communities in Australia and around the world to look up and harness nature’s cleanest and most abundant energy resource.”

Read the Media Release (view PDF of announcement)

Next Generation Technology Processes and R&D

SilexSolar in collaboration with world renowned UNSW (University of New South Wales) and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Silicon Photovoltaic’s and Photonics are researching and developing next generation manufacturing processes that will steadily drive up solar cell conversion efficiencies using standard commercial grade p-type Cz (Czochralski) silicon wafers from 17% to 20% within a few years while reducing $/W cell fabrication costs.

A number of promising process pathways are currently being explored including improved front surface cell contact design. The SilexSolar approach retains the benefits of mass produced low cost screen printing while overcoming its current limitation by using newly developed techniques for laser doping.

SilexSolar’s long term vision is to integrate its other proprietary technologies including its Translucent technology into the mono-silicon process. A thin film layer of this new translucent material over the mono-silicon cells could conceivably drive the electrical conversion efficiencies well past the maximum efficiency possible for conventional silicon solar cells (≈ 25 %).

SilexSolar cell technology development working in collaboration with University of New South Wales, where it is planned to develop a large scale commercial process for laser induced font contacts (n onto screen-printed  mono-crystalline silicon solar cells. This program development will drive up cell efficiencies to 20% and beyond, along with significant $/W cost improvements.

Laser-induced semiconductor grids in enhanced screen-print process. (Reproduced with the kind permission of UNSW Faculty of Engineering)

Laser enhanced “holt-melt” contact process technology is expected to drive up cell efficiencies up to 25%. The development work conducted by SilexSolar and University of New South Wales.

Standard Light Induced Plating       UNSW Aspect Ratio
Controlled LIP

A comparison of standard light induced plating and the new laser Induced plating. (Reproduced with the kind permission of UNSW Faculty of Engineering)