Sustainable, High-Throughput, Industry-Ready, Next-Generation Technology for European Manufacturing Leadership in Photovoltaics (SHINE PV)

The SHINE PV project, funded by the European Commission [1], aims to revolutionize the photovoltaic manufacturing landscape in Europe by developing alternative technological routes to mainstream production. This initiative, which started in January 2025 and will last four years, focuses on enhancing the competitiveness of European manufacturers by reducing production costs and simultaneously increasing efficiency. To drive technological innovation in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, it is essential to explore alternative technological routes for Silicon Heterojunction (SHJ) and Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) solar cells. SHINE PV focuses on key steps in back-end manufacturing, such as metallization, post-processing, and interconnection. By introducing high-volume manufacturing (HVM) processes like parallel dispensing and plating, we can replace traditional screen-printing methods. For post processing, the project will develop both edge-repassivation and light soaking processes and equipment, with the aim of recovering or enhancing cell efficiency after laser separation. For the module making step both TWILL interconnection and shingling will be developed, to increase the resilience of the modules in reliability testing and decrease costs. These advancements will not only enhance the efficiency of solar cells and modules but also streamline the manufacturing process, making it more sustainable and economically viable. In terms of efficiency and cost reduction, the goal is to increase solar cell efficiency by 0.5% absolute compared to the reference process. This improvement, coupled with a 4-10% reduction in the cost of ownership (CoO), can be achieved through reduced material costs and increased equipment productivity. Establishing a robust European PV innovation and production base is crucial for sustainability and competitiveness [2] [3] [4]. Demonstrating complete back-end PV manufacturing lines will reinforce the sustainability of the European PV value chain, enhancing the resilience and diversity of the domestic energy sector industrial base.