Power Roll, a UK-based perovskite solar PV specialist, has announced a new metrology research project with Swansea University and a joint development agreement with Renolit, a German plastic films, sheets and polymer solutions company, which will begin with an outdoor field trial in Germany.
In the U.K., samples of Power Roll's patented flexible, micro-groove perovskite solar PV film will be provided to researchers at Swansea University and the National Physical Laboratory in a six-month feasibility project to support the development of inline and end-of-line testing tools for perovskite solar cells.
It also involves the development of stability guidelines for industry standards. Without these advancements, perovskite solar cell companies “could face significant hurdles in achieving product accreditation,” noted the company.
“The project will support scalable roll-to-roll manufacturing of lightweight perovskite PV, delivering commercial prototypes, testing protocols, and an invited academic review to strengthen UK capability in advanced semiconductor photovoltaics,” Nathan Hill, Power Roll Senior Scientist, told pv magazine.
It entails assessment of standards, metrology techniques, equipment, routes to characterize large scale devices and artificial intelligence (AI) pertaining to monitoring during manufacture.
In December, Renolit and Power Roll announced an 18-month joint development agreement that will begin with an outdoor trial of the UK company’s micro-groove perovskite prototypes on a Renolit building façade in Germany.
The initial deployment will be one to two square meters. There are plans to scale it up in size and power capacity as the project progresses, according to Hill.
“The purpose is to monitor and validate real-world performance and durability, and to understand the potential of the micro-groove solar technology,” Neil Spann, Power Roll CEO, told pv magazine.
Renolit has a commercial interest as a potential supplier of certain film layers to Power Roll, but also to explore integrating Power Roll's solar film into its existing building materials product lines, and to explore the potential of manufacturing under license in Europe, according to Spann.
Power Roll has also completed tests of smaller devices at its headquarters.
Renolit France, the French branch of the German company, recently launched a new PVC-based mounting product for rooftop PV systems.
Power Roll, founded in 2012, has proven its technology and manufacturing process, and secured 27 patent families.
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