Total Eligible Budget
SUNLIFE will focus on the versatility of Sb2(S,Se)3 and Se technologies for the fabrication of efficient, non-toxic, stable, low-cost, and sustainable PV solar cells. The consortium will develop advanced solar cells based on ultrathin layers enabled by the excellent absorption coefficient of the selected absorber materials. Sustainibility is achieved by the reduced use of materials in the thin films and by the use of abundant elements. The US Geological Survey lists the global reserves of Sb at > 2.000.000 tons, which is substantially more than the global reserves of Te (36.000 tons) and In (estimated at 11.000 tons in 2008). The global reserves of Se and specially of S are much higher than those of In and Te. The abundance of the elements used in the active layers of SUNLIFE PV devices ensures their availability and eventually will result in a cost reduction. Moreover, use of Ag and Au as metal contacts will also be avoided. In addition, none of the elements proposed for SUNLIFE PV devices are on the REACH list as a substance of very high concern. SUNLIFE addresses integrated PV, enabling electricity generation close to the end-user, this means building integrated (BIPV), infrastructure-integrated (IIPV) and indoor (IPV). With the global increase of the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, expected to reach up to one trillion devices by 2035, the IPV market size is expected to become comparable to the traditional PV markets in the near future. Here, as SUNLIFE PV devices will be close to the user we have targeted stable, non-toxic materials to be used for indoor applications ensuring also a long lifetime. On the other hand, BIPV and IIPV are already recognized as two of the main technologies and solutions for the energy system transition. Emerging low-cost, low-toxicity and stable thin-film solar cells, as those proposed in SUNLIFE, contribute to the deployment of the integration of PV in buildings and infrastructures. One specific target of SUNLIFE is PV integration directly onto building materials such as glass and ceramic tiles, therefore transforming them into active building components. SUNLIFE innovative approach seamlessly blends solar energy generation with existing structures, offering additional cost advantages and acceleration of the clean energy transition.
INL Eligible Budget
124,885.00 €
Total Funding
1,550,508.00 €
INL Funding
124,885.00 €
Start Date
01-12-2024
End Date
30-11-2027
Grant Agreement Id
Cetp-2023-00137
Funding Agency
FCT
Funding Framework
CET Partnership
INL Role
Partner
Scientific Project Manager
Sascha Sadewasser
Approval Date