Solar cells for space are typically grown on slices of germanium metal. An ESA General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) project looked into being able to remove and recycle this rare, expensive metal, resulting in much thinner and cheaper solar cells for missions.

The activity tested a method where the surface of the Germanium substrate is treated so that a cavity is introduced just below it. Once a solar cell is grown on the Ge surface, this 0.001 mm thick gap, or cavity, allows everything above it to be removed, leaving just a very thin layer of germanium still attached to the cell - around 10 micrometres thick instead of the previous 150.

This huge saving of weight and volume of a rare material will result in major cost savings, especially when multiplied across the roughly 10 000 solar cells needed for each satellite mission.

For more than a quarter of a century ESA's optional GSTP has been preparing promising technologies for space and the open market. Read our GSTP Annual Report for 2019 to learn more about programme activities.

Related Links
ESA General Support Technology Programme (GSTP)
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com

Tweet

Stanford scientists invent ultrafast way to manufacture perovskite solar modules
Stanford CA (SPX) Nov 27, 2020
Most solar cells today are made with refined silicon that turns sunlight into clean electricity. Unfortunately, the process of refining silicon is far from clean, requiring vast amounts of energy from carbon-emitting power plants. For a greener alternative to silicon, researchers have focused on thin-film perovskites - low-cost, flexible solar cells that can be produced with minimal energy and virtually no CO2 emissions. While perovskite solar cells are promising, significant challenges need ... read more