To improve the performance of solar cells it is essential to have a good understanding of how the material properties affect the solar cell efficiency.  We aim at understanding the fundamental mechanisms of silicon-based solar cells as well as how process parameters affect the quality of the silicon ingots and the final solar cells. Our research also focuses on silicon production, refining and recycling.

For new solar cell concepts, completely new materials must be developed. A range of materials for use in solar cell are simulated, synthesized and characterized, including silicon, III-V semiconductors, oxides and other materials, with the aim to improve the solar cell performance.

Both conventional solar cells and new concepts are studied, both theoretically and experimentally.

Contact: Turid Reenaas or Marisa Di Sabatino

Solar cells and solar panels can be designed in many different ways, depending on the intended use.  At NTNU we are studying cells and panels used in buildings (facades, roofs, windows) and standalone systems, where the incident radiation enters from either only the front side, or from both the front and the back side.

Both conventional cells (based on a single pn-junction made of a single material) and more advanced cells are studied.

Contact: Gabriele Lobaccaro, Marisa Di Sabatino or Turid Reenaas

The development in building technology toward zero emission standard involves use of building integrated solar energy systems as a source of renewable energy. Due to the limitations in the integrability of such systems in relation to the scale, design and colour of the building envelope, their integration is not trouble-free. If done awkwardly, it may ruin the architectural quality of the whole building or even neighborhood. 

NTNU Energy Team Solar has the ambition to develop architectural integration methods of solar cells applicable to the Nordic climate, building custom and local context. When shared with architects, designers and town planners they will contribute to increased use of solar energy in Norway and beyond. 

Contact: Barbara Matusiak or Gabriele Lobaccaro 

Photovoltaic systems can either be integrated in an energy system as islanded (e.g. in a microgrid) or as grid-connected installations. In both cases, different factors must be considered, which may lead to an optimized use of the photovoltaic system. For example, external factors such as weather and local climate play a role (irradiation depending on the location and orientation of the system, ambient temperature, shading by e.g. snow, clouds or buildings), but also how the solar system is integrated into the grid. This is about power electronics, possible combination with other generation systems (wind, hydrogen systems, hydropower), energy storage or the type of solar installation (roof-top/façade/ground-mounted/floating, with/without tracking, bifacial).

The research in this field sees the photovoltaic system as part of a larger energy system, with all its advantages and challenges.

Contact: Steve Völler

A large portion of the solar energy potential to improve energy efficiency in buildings, districts and cities, remains unexploited. This is certainly the case of the Nordic countries which share similar solar irradiation profile, climate challenges, legal and cultural barriers, and economic constraints which prevent optimal exploitation of solar energy.

NTNU Energy Team Solar has the ambition to turn the Nordic conditions into unique opportunities to accelerate the use of solar energy and the deployment of solar systems in the Nordic built environment.

Contact: Gabriele Lobaccaro, Steve Völler or Barbara Matusiak

The topic will investigate the role of digital in connection with solar electricity. Digital is here understood as technologies required to realize the full potential of solar electricity in the future’s intelligent and sustainable electric energy sector. Relevant technologies could be, for example: Artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data (to study how these technologies can benefit the integration and operation of solar electricity), distributed ledger technology (to study how blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies can benefit solar electricity in terms of technical and economic aspects), energy optimization (to study e.g. the role of energy storage, energy yield prediction and forecasting, power electronics and digital technologies) and business models for peer-to-peer trading of solar electricity. In addition, advanced computer graphics and GIS for calculation of solar radiation in urban environments and climate prediction as well as solar data forecasting with machine learning is an emerging field of research, specially for Norway.

Contact: Steve Völler or Gabriele Lobaccaro