Solliance

Solliance
Name	Solliance
Type	Research collaboration
Headquarters	Eindhoven, Netherlands
Established	2010
Region	Benelux
Focus	Thin-film photovoltaic research

Solliance Solliance is a collaborative research alliance focusing on thin-film photovoltaic technologies, particularly copper indium gallium selenide and perovskite solar cells. It brings together academic institutions, applied research centers, and industrial partners to accelerate development of flexible, lightweight, and building-integrated photovoltaics. The alliance emphasizes pilot lines, scale-up, and industrial adoption across the Benelux region.

History

Solliance was formed in 2010 through cooperation among Dutch, Belgian, and German research organizations to consolidate efforts in thin-film photovoltaics. Early milestones involved alignment with initiatives such as the European Union's research frameworks and ties to projects linked with Eindhoven University of Technology, IMEC, and TNO. The consortium expanded by integrating partners from Flanders and North Rhine-Westphalia, aligning with regional innovation programs and national agencies like Netherlands Enterprise Agency and Flemish Government. Over time Solliance engaged with demonstration programs influenced by policies originating in European Commission climate and energy directives and contributed to roadmaps referenced by the International Energy Agency.

Organization and Membership

The alliance is structured as a networked consortium combining universities, research institutes, and industrial companies. Founding and prominent members have included entities such as Holst Centre, ECN (now part of TNO), IMEC, and departments from Delft University of Technology and Eindhoven University of Technology. Industrial partners have ranged from materials suppliers to manufacturing firms, comparable in profile to 3M, Corning Incorporated, Solvay, and regional firms represented in clusters like Brainport Eindhoven. Governance uses a board comprising representatives from major partners and program managers who coordinate work packages similar to structures in European Research Council-funded consortia. Membership categories include academic, applied research, and industrial tiers, enabling collaboration across institutions such as KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, and applied centers like VITO.

Research and Technology

Research emphasizes thin-film absorption materials, transparent conducting oxides, encapsulation strategies, and flexible substrates. Core technical domains include development of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) technologies and emergent halide perovskite materials, linking to advances pursued at Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids-associated teams and groups at University of Cambridge. Workstreams cover device physics, interface engineering, and optoelectronic characterization. Materials and process innovations draw on expertise comparable to groups at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and CEA. Efforts target improvements in power conversion efficiency, stability under accelerated aging tests, and manufacturability at roll-to-roll speeds informed by standards from organizations like IEC and test regimes used by UL Solutions.

Facilities and Infrastructure

Solliance coordinates access to pilot lines, cleanrooms, and characterization equipment located across partner institutions. Central nodes mirror infrastructures at Holst Centre and IMEC with gloveboxes, deposition tools (sputtering, evaporation, atomic layer deposition), and high-throughput solar simulators similar to those at NREL. The networked infrastructure supports roll-to-roll coating, slot-die deposition, and lamination lines enabling scale-up studies analogous to pilot facilities at Fraunhofer CSP. Metrology capabilities include certified IV measurement, electroluminescence imaging, and environmental chambers used by standards bodies like ISO. Shared infrastructure agreements facilitate technology transfer between laboratories in cities including Eindhoven, Antwerp, Leuven, and Berlin.

Projects and Collaborations

Solliance participates in national and EU-funded projects, collaborating with consortia engaged in Horizon Europe and FP7 programs alongside partners such as TU Berlin, King's College London, and ETH Zurich. The alliance has contributed to demonstration projects for building-integrated photovoltaics partnered with architecture firms and construction companies similar to work with BAM Group or initiatives tied to Dutch Green Building Council. Cross-disciplinary collaborations involve material suppliers, testing labs, and utility partners comparable to Enel and TenneT for grid integration studies. Joint publications and patents have emerged through cooperation with groups at University of Oxford and Imperial College London on tandem cell architectures and stability enhancement strategies.

Commercialization and Impact

Solliance aims to shorten time-to-market by linking pilots with industrial partners and facilitating spin-offs that follow trajectories similar to companies arising from Imec and EPFL incubators. Impact metrics include prototype deployments in façades, portable power modules, and integration into flexible electronics markets akin to applications pursued by Boeing for lightweight PV or by Philips in building products. The alliance influences standards development and workforce training through collaboration with vocational institutions and technology transfer offices comparable to High Tech Campus Eindhoven initiatives. Economic and environmental impact assessments reference tools and reports from IRENA and IEA PVPS to quantify lifecycle benefits and decarbonization potential.

Category:Photovoltaics Category:Research collaborations