Research for a sunny future!
Publicly funded research projects enable the ISC to try new approaches with its partners. Usually together with industrial partners, projects are carried out that should lead to commercialisation within a period of two to three years. During this period, for example, manufacturing processes for new types of solar cells or modules can be researched, and developments for new machines can be tested.
We are currently working in serveral publicly funded projects with about 50 industry partners and 34 institute partners and cooperate with many research institutions. We have 17 years of experience in applying for and implementing projects in various funding programmes:
- Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action(BMWK): 7th Energy Research Programme of the Federal Government
- Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action(BMWK): Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM)
- Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS): Establishment of continuing education networks
- Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU): AI lighthouse projects for the environment, climate, nature and resources
- Ministry of Economics, Labour and Housing Baden-Württemberg: Funding programmes of the state of Baden-Württemberg
- EU-funded research (Horizon 2020 and now Horizon Europe)
- various other international funding programmes
We are happy to support you in the development of joint project ideas and funding applications and to network you with other partners. So that ideas can become products!
Current projects
IndiFiduell - Individual wire-finger connections for long-term stable high-efficiency modules. Cost-efficient and long-term stable cell-cell connection for back-contact solar modules
| Funding source: | PTJ |
| Funding code: | 03EE1185A |
| Term: | 01.01.2024-31.12.2026 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.708.808,44 € |
| Topic: |
The goal of the IndiFiduell project is to decouple the electrical and mechanical cell-cell connection during the stringing process of busbarless back contact cells using round or flat wires in order to be able to optimize these separately. |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. Fraunhofer CSP Henkel AG & Co KGaA Tamura Elsold GmbH QCells Mondragon Assembly GmbH ISRA Vision GmbH |
vtb – Verbund für Technologie und Bildung Bodensee-Oberschwaben
| Funding source: | BMAS |
| Funding code: | WBV.02.00001.22 – WBV.02 – Weiterbildungsverbünde Fahrzeugindustrie |
| Term: | 01.03.2022 – 31.12.2024 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 427.998 € 128.399 € own funds 30% 299.598 € donation 70% |
| Topic: | The Lake Constance-Upper Swabia region is characterized by vehicle construction. Numerous small and medium-sized companies shape the supplier landscape with two top companies in the field of drive and chassis technology. Through these activities in hybrid and electric drives associated vehicle electronics and software applications are increasing. In addition to three manufacturers/fitters of motorhomes, the area of commercial and special vehicles is important. The speed of change of existing professional fields in the automotive industry (AMI) is currently being felt particularly strongly. The transformation described in the call for proposals requires new skills and also abilities of the people who have worked in the AMI so far, so that their companies remain sustainable, but also to continue to provide these skilled workers to stay in the labor market. The peculiarity of the region is that on the one hand, many AMI companies are affected by digitalization, new technologies and changing customer wishes faced with the challenges of a structural change, while companies in other sectors (Aerospace, pharmaceutical and electronics industry, nursing professions) are on a growth path. Many of the companies in the growth sectors are faced with the challenge of an increasing shortage of skilled workers. According to this double structural challenge in the region, the consortium has set itself the goal of this project application, on the one hand AMI employees for the challenges and professional fields of the future to qualify. What is needed here is not just new professional qualifications, but also comprehensive competencies, such ones as based on technological knowledge, creativity in thinking and acting, the ability to be open for lifelong learning and cooperate with other companies on an equal footing. In focus is to sensitize companies and employees to the opportunities that exist and arise through targeted further qualification. On the other hand, the training network vtb will further create new perspectives where positions are under strong substitution pressure, open up new opportunities for people through a transfer to growth sectors is prepared as well. This avoids a brain drain from the region and at the same time employees who are currently exposed to a threat to their jobs, are given the perspective that their skills will continue to be available on the job market can be useful. |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. bwcon GmbH cyberLAGO e. V. Digitale ZukunftsZentrum Allgäu-Oberschwaben IWT Institut für Weiterbildung, Wissens- und Technologietransfer und 7 assoziierte Partner |
PV Mobil - Development of an integrated photovoltaic storage module
| Funding source: | BW Invest |
| Funding code: | BW1_2114/03 |
| Term: | 01.12.2022-30.11.2024 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 114.000€ |
| Topic: | An integrated photovoltaic storage module is to be developed that can supply electrical energy at any time of the day or night. Compared to the procurement of the individual components, the element should be much cheaper to produce. All applications in which a photovoltaic module and an electrical storage unit are installed in close proximity to each other can benefit from the result, in particular applications in very small vehicles (e.g. senior citizens’ mobile homes and boats) but also stationary applications such as so-called balcony modules. Optionally, the storage module should also be able to be charged with electricity from the public grid or another power source (e.g. fuel cell). |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. HMF Hueber Maschinen- und Fahrzeugbau GmbH |
LOGIC - Low cost high efficiency Cu plated IBC - low cost and high efficiency back-contact solar cells with galvanic copper contacts
| Funding source: | BW Invest |
| Funding code: | BW1_4206/02 |
| Term: | 01.06.2023 – 31.05.2023 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 400.000€ |
| Topic: | Silver is the only scarce resource when scaling the solar industry to much higher production volumes. However, such scaling is imperative to achieve our climate goals. PV2+’s copper technology has the potential to completely eliminate silver from solar cell manufacturing. In the LOGIC project, the copper technology of PV2+ is to be combined with the advanced, highly efficient ZEBRA back-contact solar cell of ISC Konstanz. This should result in a solar cell that has the highest efficiency potential, can be produced cost-effectively and relies only readily available raw materials, thus representing the next logical step on our roadmap to sustainable photovoltaics. |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. PV2+ GmbH |
Libertas - Feasibility study on the re-establishment of the PV industry in Germany against the background of market failures
| Funding source: | BMWK |
| Funding code: | 03EE1190B |
| Term: | 01.03.2023 – 29.02.2024 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 187.000€ |
| Topic: | The project aims to analyse the situation of the PV industry in Germany and Europe and to develop concrete proposals on how manufacturing can be re-established in Germany and Europe as far as possible – and which political tools can be used to achieve this. The products to be manufactured should also be optimised with regard to CO2 neutrality and recyclability. Within the framework of the industrial strategy to be developed, not only the entire PV value chain, but also the development of the main supplier industry, mechanical engineering and research institutes in order to establish a sustainable economy and ecosystem. The result is a report that is publicly available to stakeholders. Further information: https://isc-konstanz.de/en/feasibility-study-on-the-resettlement-of-the-pv-industry-in-germany/ https://libertas.rct-solutions.com/ |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. RCT Solution GmbH VDMA e.V. Photovoltaic Production Equipment Division (associated partner) |
IBC4EU - Piloting novel cost-competitive bifacial IBC technology for vertical integrated European GW scale PV
| Funding source: | EU- Horizon Europe |
| Funding code: | 01084259 |
| Term: | 01.10.2022 – 30.09.2025 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.523.250,00 € |
| Topic: | The IBC4EU project will develop cost effective and sustainable bifacial interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cell and module technology on pilot line level. Based on business cases from the whole value chain – ingot, wafer, cell and module – we will demonstrate that IBC technology is the most promising choice for a fast launch of GW scale PV production in the EU. |
| Project partners: |
1 ISC Konstanz |
SelFi - Selektive Polysilizium Finger
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) |
| Funding code: | 03EE1138A |
| Term: | 01.09.2022 until 31.08.2025 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.527.913 € |
| Topic: | In SelFi, an industrial manufacturing process for the implementation of local passivated contacts on the cell front side of TOPCon solar cells is to be developed and subsequently also made usable for IBC solar cells. For both cell concepts, the contacts are to be optimized using the LECO process. |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. centrotherm international AG CE Cell Engineering GmbH Fraunhofer CSP |
BIG
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1116A |
| Term: | 01.06.2021 until 31.05.2024 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.256.213€ |
| Topic: | The aim of the BIG project is to develop new production processes and materials that can be used flexibly for different wafer formats. Large-format wafers are cut into smaller pieces to avoid resistance losses during cell interconnection. For this purpose, we are developing an innovative combined cell cutting and laser edge passivation process, which will be integrated into a prototype system in the project. At the module level, a cost-effective and lead-free solder paste is being developed that is specially formulated for PV interconnection. |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. ASYS Automatisierungssysteme GmbH Tamura Elsold GmbH |
FlexFab2 - Large PV production in Europe
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1081B |
| Term: | 01.11.2020 until 31.10.2023 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.172.110€ |
| Topic: | Flexible production of ingots, wafers, solar cells and solar modules in future PV factories in Germany or Europe. To this end, the ZEBRA cell technology is being further developed at the ISC with a focus on cost-effective, industrial metallisation concepts. In addition, the pilot line at ISC Konstanz will be equipped with digital twins throughout. |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. RCT Solutions GmbH |
AI4Grids - AI - based planning and operational management of distribution networks
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety |
| Funding code: | 67KI2012E |
| Term: | 01.09.2020 until 31.08.2023 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 574.170 € |
| Topic: | AI-based planning and operational management of distribution grids and microgrids for the optimal integration of renewable generators and fluctuating loads in the context of the energy transition |
| Project partners: | ISC Konstanz e.V. HTWG Konstanz Fraunhofer ISE Stadtwerk am See GmbH & Co.KG (Überlingen) Energiedienst Holding AG |
Finished projects
2021-2023 - POPEI - Production technologies for high performance low cost IBC solar cells
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1102D |
| Term: | 01.05.2021 until 30.04.2023 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 627.604 € |
| Topic: | The POPEI joint project aims to develop an industrialisable process for the production of IBC solar cells (Interdigitated Back Contact) based on crystalline silicon wafers doped with gallium (Ga). In addition to higher efficiency, the aim is to achieve lower costs per Wp at module level than with the PERC architecture that dominates today. |
| Project partners: | centrotherm international AG, LPKF Laser & Electronics AG, University of Constance, Fraunhofer ISE, Institute for Solar Energy Research GmbH, RENA Technologies GmbH |
2020-2023 - ZORRO - Fundamental studies for the understanding and mitigation of LeTiD degradation
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1051B |
| Term: | 01.03.2020 bis 28.02.2023 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 328.000 € |
| Topic: | Fundamental studies for the understanding and mitigation of LeTiD degradation in mono- and multicrystalline PERC solar cells. The task of the ISC is to manufacture PERC solar cells for the investigation of degradation properties and the development of novel processes for degradation-free solar cells. |
| Project partners: | University of Konstanz, Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg, Wacker Chemie AG (associated), centrotherm international AG (associated) |
2020-2022 - GoDanuBIO - Participative Ecosystems for fostering the revitalization of rural-urban cooperation through governing Danube Circular-Bioeconomy
| Funding source: | EU, Interreg Danube Transnational Programme |
| Funding code: | eMS Project Number DTP471 |
| Term: | 01.07.2020 until 31.12.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 118.805€ |
| Topic: | Participative Ecosystems for fostering the revitalization of rural-urban cooperation through governing Danube Circular-Bioeconomy. Improve institutional capacities to tackle major societal challenges. |
| Project partners: | various European partners 10 countries along the Danube river, altogether 19 Project partners and 7 „Associated Strategic“ partners |
2019 - 2022 HoSSa - High-throughput processes for shingle and strip modules and alternative cell formats
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1014D |
| Term: | 01.11.2019 until 31.10.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 683.600 € |
| Topic: | The next generation of cell division and connection processes for strip and shingle modules is to be developed. For this purpose, an innovative combination of thermo-mechanical cell separation and bonding processes is to be developed. First the conductive adhesive is applied, then the cell is divided and finally assembled into a string. The aim is to achieve a reliable and cost-effective process with a high cycle time. |
| Project partners: | aleo Solar GmbH, pi4 robotics GmbH, Wavelabs Solar Metrology Systems GmbH, teamtechnik Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH |
2019-2022 - Zquadrat - ZEBRA technology for cells and modules
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1005A |
| Term: | 01.11.2019 until 31.10.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.000.026 € |
| Topic: | Development of a stringer-based connection process for the ZEBRA solar cell using the soldering ribbons traditionally used in the solar industry. |
| Project partners: | Fraunhofer CSP, SUNOVATION, teamtechnik Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH |
2019-2022 - HighLite - High-performance low-cost modules with excellent environmental profiles for a competitive EU PV manufacturing industry
| Funding source: | European Commission |
| Funding code: | Horizon 2020, Prop. No 857793 |
| Term: | 01.10.2019 until 30.09.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 799.125 € |
| Topic: | High-performance low-cost modules with excellent environmental profiles for a competitive EU PV manufacturing industry |
| Project partners: | IMEC, CEA-INES, ISC-Konstanz, SCEM, EPFL |
2020-2022 - SpuTopia - Sputtering of passivating contacts based on TOPCon technology with industrial technology
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1068B |
| Term: | 01.10.2020 until 30.09.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 239.762 € |
| Topic: | n-type cells with sputtered passivated contacts for industrial application and reliability tests on mini modules |
| Project partners: | Fraunhofer ISE, RENA Technologies GmbH |
2019-2022 - AmbiPV - Adapted Modules for Bifacial Photovoltaics
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy – Solar Era Net |
| Funding code: | 03EE1036 |
| Term: | 01.09.2019 until 31.08.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 233.846 € |
| Topic: | AMBiPV – Adapted Modules for Bifacial Photovoltaics – new interconnection technologies for the production of high-performance bifacial modules |
| Project partners: | Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH, Westfälische Hochschule Gelsenkrichen, SolAround Ltd (Jerusalem), ZHAW Zurich University of Appl. Science IEFE (Winterthur), Meyer Burger Ltd. |
2019-2022 - BOBTANDEM - Band Offset selective Barrier Three Terminal perovskite on silicon high efficiency Tandem Solar Cell
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy – Solar Era Net |
| Funding code: | 03EE1030 |
| Term: | 01.09.2019 until 31.08.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 352.816 € |
| Topic: | Band Offset selective Barrier Three Terminal perovskite on silicon high efficiency Tandem Solar Cell. The aim of the project is to develop process routing to integrate a high bandgap Perovskite Solar Cell (PSC) on an industrial-ready back contact (IBC) silicon solar cell in a three terminal (3T) tandem solar cell architecture. |
| Project partners: | EDF F&D (Palaiseau, France), GeePs CentraleSupelec/CNRS (Gif-sur-Yvette, France), EPFL ISIC GMF (Sion, Switzerland), Delft University of Technology (Delft, Netherlands) |
2019-2022 - RALPH - Back-contact technology with alternative laser processes and innovative passivation for high-efficiency solar cells
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1018C |
| Term: | 01.06.2019 until 31.05.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.090.693 € |
| Topic: | Back-contact technology with alternative laser processes and innovative passivation for high-efficiency solar cells. Sub-project: Thermal processes, whole cell process and interconnection |
| Project partners: | University of Konstanz, Gebr. Schmid GmbH |
2019-2022 - PERCplus - Next generation PERC solar cells
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1019C |
| Term: | 01.05.2019 until 30.04.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 1.252.181 € |
| Topic: | PERCplus – PERC solar cells of the next generation; Subproject: Novel PERC processes and pilot production |
| Project partners: | ASYS Automat.GmbH, RCT Solutions GmbH, Oxford PV Germany GmbH |
2019-2022 - NextTec - Next-generation production technologies and significant increase in throughput rates in PV production
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy |
| Funding code: | 03EE1001B |
| Term: | 01.05.2019 until 30.04.2022 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 968.001 € |
| Topic: | NextTec – Identification, evaluation and selection of next generation production technologies with the potential to significantly increase throughput rates in PV production; ISC sub-project: Acceleration of wet-chemical PV manufacturing processes and data analysis. |
| Project partners: | Fraunhofer ISE, Fraunhofer CSP, HTWK Leipzig, ISRA Vision-GP Inspect GmbH, h.a.l.m. elektronik GmbH, Permatecs GmbH, RCT Solutions GmbH, RENA Technologies GmbH, Gebr. SCHMID GmbH |
2020-2021 - Flotteladen - the sustainable mobility solution for social wards and homeowners association in Baden-Württemberg
| Funding source: | Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment |
| Funding code: | BWINP21106 |
| Term: | 01.11.2020 until 31.12.2021 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 192.325 € |
| Topic: | Sustainable mobility solution for social wards and WEGs in Baden-Württemberg |
| Project partners: | Sozialstation Bodensee e.V., Caritasverband Hochrhein e.V. (associated), siobra (Allensbach) |
2017-2021 - AtaMos-Tec - Research and Development of Radiation-intensive Photovoltaic Technologies and Desert Climates
| Funding source: | CORFO, Chile |
| Funding code: | – |
| Term: | 01.12.2017 until 30.11.2021 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 700.000 € |
| Topic: | establishing a bifacial module technology development center in the Atacama desert, Chile |
| Project partners: | SERC, INES, FhG Chile, other Industrial partners |
2019-2021 - GELaZ - Community-serving energy charging cells
| Funding source: | Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment |
| Funding code: | BWINP19001 |
| Term: | 01.07.2019 until 30.09.2021 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 229.466 € |
| Topic: | The aim of the project is to demonstrate the simultaneous charging of a large number of electric vehicles with the inclusion of grid-serving load management. |
| Project partners: | Reutlingen University, Stadtwerke Ludwigsburg-Kornwestheim, Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH, Mahle GmbH, OLI Systems GmbH, Easy Smart Grid GmbH |
2019-2021 - Degratest+ - Measuring device for accelerated degradation tests
| Funding source: | Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (ZIM) |
| Funding code: | AZ 3-4332.62-IPA/68 |
| Term: | 01.09.2019 until 31.08.2021 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 186.410 € |
| Topic: | Development of a solar cell measuring stand for accelerated degradation testing |
| Project partners: | PSE AG, Freiburg |
2019-2021 - SelFab - Self-learning photovoltaic factory
| Funding source: | Ministry of Economic Affairs BadenWürttemberg |
| Funding code: | AZ 3-4332.62-IPA/68 |
| Term: | 18.02.2019 until 17.08.2021 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 398.506 € |
| Topic: | Digitalised, self-learning PV production: In a SelFab, virtual images of cells (crystalline photovoltaics) or modules (thin-film photovoltaics), systems and the production line are created and the relevant input variables are continuously digitised. This creates the basis for analysing both in-process and cross-process dependencies. |
| Project partners: | Fraunhofer IPA, Fraunhofer ISE, Uni Stuttgart, Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff Forschung Stuttgart |
2019-2021 - SoLAR II - Smart Grid without load profile measurement Allensbach - Radolfzell
| Funding source: | Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment |
| Funding code: | BWSGD19003 |
| Term: | 15.07.2019 until 31.12.2021 |
| Budget of the ISC Konstanz: | 186.252 € |
| Topic: | SoLAR – Smart Grid without load profile measurement Allensbach – Radolfzell PHASE II, Part 1 |
| Project partners: | EIFER EDF-KIT EWIV, ALET-Immobilien-Besitz GmbH, Energiedienst, Easy Smart Grid GmbH |
