The global market for photovoltaic solar modules grew by 139% to 21 gigawatts in 2010, and the UK needs to keep pace. This project, the SUPERSOLAR Hub, brings together six universities to coordinate research across every major solar technology—from new materials and thin-film cells to organic photovoltaics and concentrator systems. The problem is that the UK’s research efforts have been fragmented, with no central facility to measure solar cell efficiency or a network to connect academic and industrial researchers. SUPERSOLAR will set up that measurement facility for the entire UK photovoltaic community and create a deliberate balance of expertise, avoiding bias toward any single technology. If successful, the hub could accelerate the point at which solar power reaches grid parity—the moment it becomes as cheap as electricity from fossil fuels. That would directly affect energy grids, supply chains, and the cost of electricity for homes and businesses. The work is applied and technology-focused, not fundamental science; its impact depends on maintaining the current rapid growth in solar deployment and on UK industry adopting the innovations the hub produces.
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The market for photovoltaic (PV) solar modules is experiencing astonishing growth due to increasing energy demand, security of supply issues, increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns over global warming. The world market for photovoltaics grew by 139% to 21GW in 2010. Although this extraordinary pace of growth is unlikely to be maintained in the short term it will advance rapidly again at the point where grid parity is achieved. It is important that the UK retains a strong research presence in this important technology. It is proposed that the SUPERSOLAR Hub of Universities be set up to co-ordinate research activities, establish a network of academic and industrial researchers, conduct cross-technology research and provide a focus for international co-operation. SUPERSOLAR is led by CREST at Loughborough University and supported by the Universities of Bath, Liverpool, Oxford, Sheffield and Southampton. This group is active in all of the PV technologies including new materials, thin film chalcopyrite, c-Si, thin film a-Si, dye sensitised solar cells, organic PV, concentrator PV, PV systems performance and testing. SUPERSOLAR will set up a solar cell efficiency measurement facility for the benefit of the PV community in the UK. The consortium contains a deliberate balance of expertise, with no bias towards any one technology.
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