Photovoltaic Technology & Energy Systems Group at imo-imomec

Imo-imomec is a joint research institute of Hasselt University (UHasselt) and imec where engineers, chemists and physicists conduct multidisciplinary materials research. We focus on advanced material systems for a sustainable and healthy society. Our core domains are energy, sustainable materials, sensors & healthcare materials, and quantum technologies. Imec performs world-leading research in nano-electronics and creates groundbreaking innovation in application domains such as healthcare, smart cities and mobility, logistics and manufacturing, and energy. UHasselt is a young university, but its education and research are well-regarded worldwide – with some excellent international ranking positions. UHasselt is ranked 35th out of 605 in the Times Higher Education ranking of the world’s best universities under 50 (years old), and it is ranked among the best 10 higher education institutions in the European Commission’s U-Multirank.

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Imo-imomec’s energy research is part of: (i) EnergyVille, which is an association of the Flemish research centres KU Leuven, VITO, imec and UHasselt in the field of sustainable energy and intelligent energy systems, and (ii) Solliance, which works with and for the industry, both to fulfil short-term needs of industry, and to convey promising lines of mid- and long-term (thin film) PV research. This project will take place in the PV technology & Energy systems group at imo-imomec , which consists of 3 technology development teams: (i) Thin-film PV, (ii) Wafer-based PV, and (iii) Energy system management.

Solar energy is the most widely available energy resource on Earth, and photovoltaic (PV) solar energy is currently cheaper than any power source ever before. In 1839, Edmond Becquerel discovered the operating principle of a PV solar cell, and in 1883, Charles Fritts developed the very first working cell. It was not until 1954 that the first practical silicon solar cell was demonstrated at Bell Labs, and in the last decades the PV industry has undergone remarkable growth due to both efficiency increases and cost reductions. Today, PV solar energy is the new king of global power markets, as is stated by the International Energy Agency (IEA) based on PV expansion being at its fastest pace in two decades. An even faster pace is projected in the coming years, with the very low cost of PV solar energy driving the global demand for renewables. The PV technology & Energy systems group at imo-imomec has been at the forefront of PV research, development and valorization since 1984, and is therefore the ideal host to study the history, rise and future of solar energy for the energy transition.