StreP (Stretchable PV foil)

Introduction

CO2 neutral energy generation is needed for climate change. PV can solve a large portion of this need. In densely populated areas, the use of land is scarce and therefore PV integrated in the built and living environment is preferred to make double use of land area.

Current Limitations

Flexible PV sheets already exist, but the present PV sheets cannot be stretched or elongated like textile that is placed under stress. The existing PV sheets can be rolled and bended, but not elongated, which is important when the PV sheets would be integrated into, e.g., the architectural textile.

Project Aim

This project aims to solve this problem by making the interconnection between the solar cells stretchable. This would open many opportunities to integrate these PV foils in applications where the flexible sheets are placed under severe mechanical stress or tension.

Technology Used

In this project, we will use flexible CIGS PV cells, which are also used in the present flexible PV modules. To allow stretching of the foil under mechanical stress, it requires a special interconnection technology. A patent pending technology has been developed to create a series interconnection between the flexible solar cells that, at the same time, can be stretched several millimeters, so that an elongation of 3 to 10% of the PV foil would become possible.

Potential Applications

This would be new and opens the possibility to integrate the PV foil in any tent-like structure. Applications we foresee are:

• PV integrated in tents for refugee camps. Integration of the PV on the tents themselves will create immediate energy generation at the moment of setting up the tents.
• Agricultural PV is a fast-expanding PV segment. For this application, the resistance to wind pressure is an important factor, and stretchable PV would be a solution to overcome that problem.
• Architectural textile is used for making domes to cover sports or other large infrastructure (with dimensions up to 600m x 400m). These large roof surfaces would be ideal to generate part of the CO2 neutral energy.