Photo montage of photovoltaic installations in North East England

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Research and Development

The North East has a strong research and development base and a growing reputation for its involvement in the advancement of PV applications. The region's universities play a vital role in contributing to present research efforts. In particular, Durham and Northumbria University conduct leading research in the specialist area of photovoltaics and are currently partners in the national PV research programme.

Northumbria Photovoltaics Applications Centre (NPAC) has been involved in research and development of photovoltaics (PV) for more than 20 years. The research activities at NPAC include work in the development of solar cells, techno-economic studies of photovoltaic module production and use, building integrated photovoltaic systems, performance monitoring and environmental assessment of energy technologies, social and policy issues. One of the historical highlights, in 1995, was the installation of the UK’s first building integrated PV system, rated at 39.5 kWp, on the façade of Northumberland Building on the main University campus.

NPAC fundamental research activities concentrate on the development of CuInSe2 and related chalcopyrite thin film solar cells. NPAC is part of the EPSRC funded project "Photovoltaic Materials for the 21st Century" (PV21) with five other UK universities. Their research focuses on producing and characterising thin film cells based on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 materials by 2-stage processing. This includes deposition of metallic precursors by magnetron sputtering followed by selenisation at high temperature. Research is also undertaken into window and buffer materials. NPAC also operates the Photovoltaic Cell Test Facility, which enables measurement of single and multijunction solar cells.

The Durham Centre for Renewable Energy aims to undertake world class research, enabling renewable energy to make a full contribution to society and the environment; solar energy is one of the core research themes of this group, including focus on development of thin film solar cells.

In September 2007 Durham University made the news through work done in developing light-absorbing materials for use in the production of thin-layer solar photovoltaic (PV) cells which are used to convert light energy into electricity. The four-year project involved experiments on a range of different materials that would be less expensive and more sustainable to use in the manufacturing of solar panels. The research, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) SUPERGEN Initiative, focuses on developing thin-layer PV cells using materials such as copper indium diselenide and cadmium telluride.

The Durham team is also working on manipulating the growth of the materials so they form a continuous structure which is essential for conducting the energy trapped by solar panels before it is turned into usable electricity. This will help improve the efficiency of the thin-layer PV cells.

The strengths and expertise of the universities is further built-on by NaREC, the New and Renewable Energy Centre for the North East. Through NaREC the Photovoltaic Technology Centre was established in 2005, which is the only commercial crystalline cell research and development laboratory in the UK. Led by an internationally recognised research and development group, NaREC carries out advanced research and development, specialising in cystalline silicon solar cell technology. Using a pilot production line, NaREC is creating new manufacturing techniques, working to provide the rapidly expanding photovoltaics industry with the bespoke manufacturing operations it needs.

Cenamps (Centre for Nano and Micro Photonic Systems) provides expertise in plastic electronics development and is leading the build and management of the PETeC facilities at NETPark in Sedgefield, County Durham. The PETeC project is a purpose built state of the art development and prototyping centre dedicated to the exploitation of functional materials using advanced manufacturing processes to achieve very high volume and low cost solutions in the field of Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) and Solid State Lighting (SSL). The PETeC facilities will come on stream in earnest in mid 2008. Currently a joint Centre’s (Cenamps/NaREC) project team is focused on securing an international consortium with leading edge technologists and market sector specialists for the development of an OPV production ready solution capable of Giga Watt Power generation by 2017. The PETeC website, which has now been launched, can provide further information on developments in this area, www.ukpetec.com

County Durham