SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY (SKKU), SEOUL, KOREA

- Selected in May of this year as the organizer of the "Development of Passive Electrode Cells and Modules Using High Efficiency Tunnel Oxide" project for new and renewable energy core technology development
- Expected to enhance the competitiveness of the solar energy industry through the solar part-flagship project

SKKU announced that the Information and Communication Devices Lab., led by Professor Junsin Yi of the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, would develop solar energy worth 11.3 billion won in earnest starting from the kick-off meeting on July 14 (Tue).

The Information and Communication Devices Lab. was selected in May of this year as the organizer of the "Development of Passive Electrode Cells and Modules Using High Efficiency Tunnel Oxide" project supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and managed by the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning.

The period of the project is 48 months in total from May this year to April 2024, and the total cost of project is about 11.3 billion KRW. There are nine participating organizations including Sungkyunkwan University, LG Electronics, the Research & Business Foundation of Korea National University of Transportation, P&Tech, Leader of Advanced Technology, the Research & Business Foundation of Incheon National University, SK Solar Energy, Korea Institute of Lighting & ICT, and the Research & Business Foundation of Jeonbuk National University.

Through this project, the Information and Communication Device Laboratory will develop equipment for high efficiency solar cells, verify commercialization, and develop materials and process technologies for new modularization processes.

In addition, they plan to develop high-efficiency TOPCON solar cells with 25 percent conversion efficiency. In order to improve export competitiveness in the solar energy market, rapid mass production of next-generation's silicon solar cells and modules is important. Given current technology trends, TOPCon technology, which minimizes recombination between electrodes and silicon by using tunnel oxide film, is a strong technology for the next-generation.

Professor Junsin Yi, who leads the project, said, "Since it is difficult to conduct large-scale mass production of next-generation solar energy technologies in Korea, the government's active intervention is required. It is a good opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of the solar energy industry through excellent product development and preoccupation of infrastructure."

Professor Junsin Yi has been studying solar cells (crystalline/thin film/HIT) in the field of solar energy for 25 years and has been producing the highest level of research results in Korea, including achieving the highest efficiency of domestic industrial solar cells.