Hanwha Q Cells joins project in Europe to manufacture solar modules

Hanwha Q Cells' research center in Thalheim, Germany [HANWHA Q CELLS]

Hanwha Q Cells, Hanwha Solutions’ solar panel division, is joining a 15-million-euro ($15.6 million) project in Europe to manufacture next-generation solar modules.

Backed by the European Union, the project aims to mass-produce so-called tandem cells.

Tandem cells are multi-junction solar cells made by staking a perovskite layer on top of silicon, and have a higher power conversion efficiency than the previous silicon-based cells thanks to perovskite’s high light absorption rate.

Compared to solar cells made only of silicon, which currently take up 90 percent of the market worldwide, tandem cells will theoretically be up to 1.5 times more efficient.

Hanwha Q Cells will deploy a pilot production line for perovskite-silicon tandem cells at the company’s research and development (R&D) center in Thalheim, Germany.

The project will last for four years from November 2022, with the aim of developing production technology, equipment and materials for tandem cell-based solar modules. Hanwha Q Cells’ focus is on developing a processing technology to minimize the loss of efficiency when assembling solar modules from tandem cells.

Hanwha Q Cells is a member of the consortium for the project, which consists of 17 solar companies and research organizations in the European region.

Hanwha Q Cells hopes to begin mass production of tandem cells after June 2026 based on the results of the EU-led project.

The project is part of Europe’s effort to diversify its energy sources in order to lower its dependency on Russian fossil fuels, by expanding the renewables share in its energy mix.

In the REPowerEU strategy announced in June, the EU set a goal of pushing up the renewables target to 45 percent by 2040, from this year’s 32 percent.

“Hanwha Q Cells is working with renowned organizations from both home and abroad to speed up the market release of perovskite-silicon tandem cells,” said Lee Koo-yung, Hanwha Q Cells CEO.

“We will continue to lead the technological innovation in the next-generation solar panel market with the two-track R&D strategy based on our footholds in Korea and Europe.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]