First Solar, a prominent solar company, has recently revealed a partnership with the esteemed research institute ZSW to collaborate on the advancement of new technology for thin film solar PV. ZSW, located in Stuttgart, Germany, boasts a proven track record of thirty years in the realm of copper, indium, gallium, and diselenide thin-film solar technology research. Conversely, First Solar is a significant contender in thin-film solar PV technology, with manufacturing facilities in Ohio and California, and plans to establish another factory in the US south-east in 2025.
The thin-film solar PV technology pioneered by First Solar provides a lower-carbon alternative to other solar PV technologies and distinguishes itself as the sole member of the world’s top ten solar manufacturers operating from the US, rather than China.
In a collective statement, ZSW underscored that the collaboration aims to “explore opportunities to enhance the efficiency of thin-film modules by optimizing the use of the solar spectrum.” The joint research will concentrate on the “potential to develop and optimize all-thin-film tandem technologies on a gigawatt scale,” as well as improve the performance of thin-film PV technology. ZSW further emphasised the significance of the development of tandem solar cells, widely considered the next generation of photovoltaics. Given that each tandem contains at least one layer of thin-film solar cells, their development bears utmost importance to the forthcoming generation of solar technologies.
Furthermore, this partnership signifies another stride in First Solar’s efforts to bolster its presence in Europe. In 2023, the company acquired Evolar AB, a leading European entity in perovskite technology with research facilities in Uppsala, Sweden. This acquisition resulted in the transformation of the research facility into First Solar’s European Technology Centre, with approximately 30 research and development staff members from Evolar joining First Solar.
The collaboration between First Solar and ZSW presents an opportunity for groundbreaking advancements in thin-film solar PV technology. As both entities contribute their expertise and resources to this partnership, it holds the promise of more efficient and sustainable solar energy solutions for the future.