InteliSpark client FAS Holdings Group has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant worth $225,000. The grant is for the SBIR Phase I project, "Scalable fabrication of stable perovskite solar panels using slot-die coating technique"
FAS Holdings Group is revolutionizing the United States’ solar cell market with a low cost, high efficiency approach. This development is of high national interest due to solar power’s broad potential to support U.S. priorities such as; economic growth, job creation and even climate change. Furthermore, solar energy costs are still high and there are technological innovations that are needed to lower the costs while increasing efficiency.
Perovskite solar cell efficiency have spiked to over 22% in just five years of research, which competes with CdTe and Si-based solar panels. Perovskite inks are made from Earth-abundant, inexpensive precursors and can be printed on plastic foils. Printing on plastic foils significantly reduces their manufacturing and installation costs. Before commercialization of this technology, stability and feasibility of reliable, scalable manufacturing of large-area panels have to be established. This project seeks to connect the dots and develop manufacturing technology that can contend in terms of cost and performance across the board with solar panels and even conventional fossil fuel-based energy sources.
In addition to the previously mentioned objectives, FAS is aiming to manufacture perovskite photovoltaic devices using an industry-proven slot die coating method. Most research lab perovskite solar cell devices are fabricated via spin casting and have a device area of less than 1 sq. cm Even with impressive progress, its commercial viable scalability and reliability have not been demonstrated yet. Through the course of the project, a proven technology for a large-scale area processing and robust high-yield manufacturing will be used, slot -die coating. The slot die coating and air stable p-i-n devices architecture to manufacture perovskite solar panel with a target power conversion efficiency of 20%. The operational lifetime of more than 10,000 hours, power-to-weight ratio of 1 kW/kg and target manufacturing cost of less than $0.3/W equals a more than 40% reduction in costs when compared to industry leading photovoltaic technologies.