Outputs from the Discussion Meeting and Facilities Visit to
France’s National Institute of Solar Energy (INES)
(November , 2007)
-Report by Yutaka Yoshimoto and Christophe Debouit (NEDO Paris Office) -
CONTENTS
I-INES overview
(1) Introduction
(2) INES Environment : Savoie Technolac
II – INES activities
(1) INES Pilot Commitee
(2) R&D
(3) Education
(4) Demonstration
III-INES research facilities
(1) Photosil project
(2) Restaure platform
(3) PV systems lab
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(4) Solar thermal systems lab
(5) Nanocomposite material platform
(6) INCAS plalformr
IV-INES participation in clusters
(1) TENERRDIS
(2) DERBI
(3) CAPENERGIES
(4) S2E2
Complementary information : interview with CEA’s Director for Technological Research |
I -INES OVERVIEW
| (1) |
Introduction
The Institut National de l'Energie Solaire, INES, was created on July 3rd 2006, on the decision of the Conseil General de la Savoie (Savoie Local Council) and the Rhônes-Alpes Region, in partnership with 4 major actors of R&D in France: CEAi, CNRSii, Savoie University and CSTBiii.
By 2009, the currently 80 employees will be more than 200 to be working in this structure (2/3 of them in PV), which one particular specificity is to cover the whole scope of competencies in the solar energy sector, both photovoltaic and thermal, while also encompassing their integration in buildings and their association with other energy sources. The objective of INES is to become a structure of reference at the European level in the field of solar energy.
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| INES's activity covers all areas of technology
concerning solar power |
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| Some photovoltaic modules installed on INES campus |
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INES, located in the Savoie Technolac science park near the city of Chambery
in the French Alps, hosts several R&D facilities working on current PV
issues such as thin films and solar-grade silicon. INES attracted researchers
to its facilities from about 15 locations force since 2004.
With an average PV cell getting a 15% conversion efficiency, INES has also
set itself a midterm goal of developing a multicrystalline silicon cell with
20-% conversion efficiency.
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| (2) |
INES Environment: SAVOIE TECHNOLAC
INES is located within the scientific education and research complex of Savoie
Technolac (ST), a 17-year technopole dedicated to solar and eco-industries,
aiming to support innovation and knowledge based on synergies between research,
high-tech companies and academia.
As a member of the France Technopoles Entreprises
Innovation networkiv, and the International Associations of Science Parks (see4), ST’s mission is to propose innovative solutions and services to support
the implantation, development and cooperation of companies with research centres
and education structures.
The installation of INES on this specific site depended on several factors :
- Main French solar manufacturers are in the Rhône-Alpes region, involved
in both solar thermal and PV and representing more than 2/3 of the French turnover
which is also the French region with the most PV-equipped individual houses.
- Closeness to Swiss and Italy (easier international dimension)
- Political will of Savoie department and of Rhône-Alpes region to support
the economic development of the solar energy sector.
- The strategic alliance
of CEA, CNRS and CSTB on this topic
Key data : www.savoie-technolac.com
ST involves :
- 180 innovative entreprises, including foreign companies
- 2 600 employees
- 19 research laboratories
- 700 researchers
- 69 Science & Technology superior courses for 5 100 students
- International cooperation agreements with California, Quebec, Italy,… |
ST, based on the synergy of industries, research centres and academia, mainly targets 4 specific domains of excellence : Computing, electronics, and ICT ; Conception and fabrication of industrial equipments ; New materials ; Eco-technologies and solar energy |
II - INES Activities
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INES structure is headed by a Pilot
Committee composed of representatives from research organizations (CEA, the French Atomic Energy Commission - CNRS, the National Scientific Research Center, and - CSTB, the Scientific And Technical Centre for Building) as well as the education organizations also involved in the INES Education (see below).
Public authorities funding INES (Rhone-Alpes Region, Local Council of Savoie and the French State) are also members of this committee.
INES activities are structured around 3 themes:
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| (2) |
The Research, Development & Innovation (“RDI”) platform of INES combines both "R&D" and "Industrial Innovation", aiming to allow the institute to make scientific research to improve solar and photovoltaic technologies, essentially for applications in residential and service buildings develop technologies while initiating public-private partnerships in order to achieve transfers to the industries, and possibly create new companies in the field of solar energy.
With a budget of 20 million €, the RDI platform involves teams from the CEA and the CNRS, working in 4300 m2 research facilities of which 400m2 for solar thermal trials, 1200m2 for the Photosyl research platform, 2000m2 for PV / storage systems, and 700m2 dedicated to storage and cells.
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| (3) |
The «Education» platform of INES involves many participants in relation with its mission of knowledge dissemination, from several “grandes écoles” and high-level engineering universities (Ecoles des Mines de Paris, National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology-INSTN, or Lyon National Institute of Applied Sciences-INSA Lyon), as well as the CEA, Savoie Local Council and the Liaison Committee for Renewable Energies (CLER, involving over 150 French professionals of renewable energies)
The collaborative actions undertaken under this platform aim to realize all types of multimedia documents for the dissemination of knowledge on solar energy, to monitor and analyse projects and systems in solar thermal and photovoltaics, as well as bioclimatic architecture, and to diffuse processes, methods and softwares in solar energy
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The INES « Demonstration » platform gathers the participants of the “RDI” and “Education” platforms, with the mission to act as France’s main real-condition test facility for the viability of solar energy technologies. The structure dedicated to demonstration are aimed at the test in real conditions the products, processes and softwares developed by the RDI platform.
It is also designed to give the opportunity to industries of the solar and building sectors to test and expose their innovations.
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III - INES RESEARCH FACILITIES
| (1) |
PHOTOSIL project – Solar grade
silicon from metallurgical grade silicon
- Started in May 2005, duration 3 years
- Partners : Invensil, Chambery,
INPG, St Martin d’Heres, Apollon Solar, Paris,
CEA Grenoble, CNRS-EPM, Grenoble, university labs
PHOTOSIL aims to demonstrate the feasibility, at an industrial scale, of the purification of metallurgical silicon (Si-MG) into “solar photovoltaic” silicon (Si-SoG, Si-PV). To tackle the issue of the current shortage of silicon sources, PHOTOSIL aims to achieve a complete production cost below 15 €/kg for SI SOG and 35 €/kg for multicrystalline silicon ingots ready to be cut into plates.
The Photosil project is led by the company FerroPem, a subsidiary of Total and Electricité de France (EDF), with the aim develop a new, metallurgy-based method for producing silicon for the PV market. Launched in 2004, the project moved from the research phase to the operational phase in 2006. With initial results expected in 2007, it ultimately aims to develop an industrial-scale version of the process for real-world use.
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| (2) |
The Si Cell RESTAURE Research
platform
- Platform dedicated to Silicon Cells Technology
- Created in 2004
with the support of ADEME
- Clean Room: 10000 class, 240 m2,
will be extended to 1000 in 2008 in Chambery
- Industrial tools
: Up to 200 x 200 mm2 wafer
size
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| POCl3 diffusion |
PECVD chamber |
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| (3) |
The PV systems lab
- Characterization, power system monitoring and analysis
- Design of innovative solutions for grid-connected and stand-alone
applications
- Demonstration services
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| (4) |
The Solar thermal systems lab
Activity: Design and characterisation of solar thermal systems (heating and
cooling): using Domestic hot water systems, Kombi-systems, dessicant cooling
systems, etc.
The objective of this test-bench, funded by Rhones-Alpes region (600.000 €), is to simulate all these external parameters (temperature, sunshine, sensors, thermal inertness of walls,...) ; and to test in real conditions the system and its components (hot-water tank, floodgates, regulators,) to determine their exact performances.
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| Simulation system is explained to NEDO and AIST participants |
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Solar thermal system test-bench |
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Several such test-benches already exist in Europe, but INES system's
particularities are inherent to its capacity to work under very extreme
conditions (from -10°C to 180°C )
and its power (4 x 25 kW), enough too virtually heat 4 houses. Another
50kW system is added to these 4 ones. Priority is given to the development
of a new, standardized, performance measurement methodology allowing
to simulate, on a short period of time, 1-year equivalent of real operation
and therefore to evaluate the energy performance of the systems : “some
promising results already make us believe than 12-day trials may be
sufficient”.
The system is powered by a central
heating system delivering 54 kW at 180°C and 110 kW at -10°C
.
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| (5) |
The Nanocomposite Solar Cell
Lab
- Activity: Processing and characterisation, Test of new materials
coming from the academic French or European partners, Lifetime and
encapsulation studies on the reference structure
- Key node for the European and national programs:
- Project coordinator of Nanorgasol : The French Nanorgasol networks
aims to gather and coordinate the research of those involved in the
elaboration, characterization, and encapsulation of 3rd generation
solar cells.
- Start: November 06 Objective : reach efficiency of 4,2 % on 28
mm2,
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| Sample of a Photovoltaic cell based on nanocomposite material |
Fabrication process of a photovoltaic cell |
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| (6) |
The INCAS experimental platform (Instrumentation of new solar architecture constructions)
Objectives of INCAS are to :
- Develop simulation tools and technological solutions to improve comfort and energy performances in buildings
- Achieve satisfactory levels of profitability and reliability of integrated solar systems
- Achieve high levels of comfort insofar as concerns ventilation, heating and cooling systems
- Model and design the buildings of the future in their environment.
Specific features:
- Set up of instrumented houses for full-scale tests, in accordance with controlled utilization profiles
- Study the impact of the proposed solar solutions on a house or an estate
- Passive solar systems (position and orientation of walls and windows)
- Active thermal solar systems (hot domestic water, heating, cooling systems and air
conditioning)
- Photovoltaic Systems
PREBAT is a French Research programme
concerning Energy Efficiency in Buildings, launched in 2005 for 5 years,
with a 2007 budget of 15 M€.
PREBAT aims to develop research, technology transfers and experiments on
the following topics :
- Sustainable modernization of existing
buildings : R&D aimed
at developing by 2020 the technically and economically viable solutions allowing
in restored existing buildings an energy performance equal to that of
new buildings.
- Foreshadowing future buildings
- Emergence of « energy-positive » buildings:
R&D aims to generalize the construction of
buildings capable to produce more energy than they consume, and applying
these technologies also in existing buildings renovation.
To achieve these objectives, R&D under the PREBAT programme focuses
on :
- components and equipments : mostly the buildings « coating » (super-insulation,
air transfers, ventilation and thermal bridges, energy storage by thermal
inertia, heat pumps,…). Integration of renewables is also a major topic
of interest.
- optimization solutions (simulation tools) and global control of
the building.
- realization of demonstration buildings (new and existing). |
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IV - INES COLLABORATIONS
INES is currently involved in 4 Competitiveness Clusters
| (1) |
TENERRDIS
INES is the solar energy platform for TENERRDIS Competitiveness Cluster (“Technologies Energies Nouvelles Energies Renouvelables”, regions of Rhône-Alpes- Drôme-Isere-Savoie).
TENERRDIS scope covers new energy technologies, renewable energies and energy conservation. It aims to : * Develop the production of renewable energies (solar, biomass, hydro) * Optimize the use of these energies in buildings and transports, and develop the market of new sources of energy for embedded systems.
TENERRDIS currently leads 5 research programmes (Solar & Buildings, Networks Management, Biomass, Hydrogen & Fuel cells, and Hydraulics) corresponding to 5 research platforms : INES, PREDIS, BIOMASSE, PACLAB, HYDRO. Over the 2005-2006 period, TENERRDIS financed 55 projects for a total budget of 53 M€.
It now involves 40 partners including : 20 companies, 7 public R&D centres (including INES), 6 associations and 7 local authorities.
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DERBI
The Competitiveness Cluster DERBI (Developpement des Energies Renouvelables dans le Bâtiment et l'Industrie / Developing Renewable Energies in Buildings and Industry) was created in September 2005 in the Languedoc Roussillon region (south of France).
It aims to speed up the development of innovative technologies in the renewable energies sector. It currently involves 120 partners, among which the key players of renewable energies in Languedoc-Roussillon.
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CAP ENERGIES
The Capenergies cluster involves 165 partners in the PACA region (Provence-Alpes-Cote
d’Azur, southern France) and Corsica.
Capenergies is focussed on non-GHG emitting energies of the future, covering the whole scope of future energy mix, in 7 domains:
* Energy demand control * Solar * Wind power * Hydro * Biomass and Hydrogen * Fission * Fusion.
Objectives of CapEnergies include:
• Support the development of technology and innovation in the fields of (non-)
centralized electricity production, heating and cooling, synthesis fuels,
• Enhance economic development,
• Information dissemination to the industry, local authorities and the public. |
| (4) |
S2E2
The S2E2 cluster (Sciences et Systemes de l’Energie Electrique / Electric Power Science and Systems) conducts R&D activities covering the whole value chain of electric energy, around 4 major topics :
1) ENERGY CONVERSION : converters, high-energy changeovers, new semi-conductor materials (SiC, GaN,...), ...
2) NEW ENERGIES SOURCES : fuel cells, hydrogen storage and electrolysis, micro batteries, …
3) ENERGY CONSERVATION IN BUILDINGS : energy efficiency, power switches, grid connection, intelligent housing,…
4) ENERGY SENSORS : detection of human presence, ambient energy sensors, miniaturized sensors, autonomous sensors,…
A full list of the 72 participants in S2E2 can be found at:
http://www.s2e2.fr/partenaires-s2e2.php |
COMPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
“Making INES a European centre of reference in the field of solar energy”: interview with Jean Therme, CEA’s Director for Technological Research”
June 2007, by Jean-François Desessard of ADIT (French Agency for the Dissemination on Technological Information)
ADIT – What are the priorities of INES in the field of photovoltaics
?
Jean Therme–The first one is related to the shortage of silicon for photovoltaic use. This is a silicon derived from the wastes of silicon used for microelectronics, a market which doesn’t grow at the same speed as the photovoltaics market. In this context, we have developed a second approach to silicon production based on so-called "metallurgic" silicon which is found in silicon paste or aluminium-based alloys. There is an unlimited quantity at the photovoltaic scale, which just has to be purified in order to obtain good performances for solar cells. An industrial pilot was therefore set up, which uses a very innovative process to get rid of certain impurities with a plasma torch. Since the first trials, we reached yields of 14%, a threshold from which the process becomes financially viable and efficient on the market, (keeping in mind that the best polycrystalline photovoltaic cells available on the market have a 16% yield).
Once produced, these cells and modules must be tested on roofs, which is why we transferred our previous activities in Cadarache to INES. Like this, researchers can dispose of test-benches for photovoltaic modules, under real sunshine conditions, and can test their performances as well as their reliability. Sometimes, photovoltaic power is not connected to the grid but used in autonomous mode only. This is why the CEA teams in Cadarache, specialized in the field of batteries, were also transferred to INES, in order to reach our objective of constituting a European-level reference laboratory in this domain. Firstly, focus will essentially be on electric storage of photovoltaic energy. But on the longer term, this laboratory will also work on transports applications. In fact, we strongly believe in the coupling of housing and transports.
Finally, activities on future-generation solar cells, which used to be based at the CEA centre in Saclay (near Paris), has been transferred here in Chambery. These future-generation cells consist of organic cells in the shape of a plastic coating to be installed on all windows in order to recover solar energy. On the longer term, they could even come out as paint that will just have to be spread on a wall or a roof. Currently, the yields we reached, around 3 to 4%, are the best results worldwide. That said, this technology won’t appear on the market before 10 to 15 years.
ADIT– How will you test the performances of this solar technologies,
both photovoltaic and thermal, when they are integrated in housings?
Jean Therme–There again, we will create a testing and demonstration platform bringing together small individual houses which we instrument. The first two ones represent the European reference points in this domain, namely the German and Swiss ones. Our objective is to adapt them to summer comfort. Indeed, these are very low energy-consumption houses. Or, their too perfect insulation makes it difficult to manage their inside temperature under certain European latitudes.
INES will also set up a so-called "very high technologies" house in which will be installed the best technological tools, the most efficient materials solutions, as well as solutions for energy control. Other houses, designed for demonstration in collaboration with industrials partners, will allow to test their technological solutions. Thereafter, we will also work on the service sector to which we also expect to offer real solutions.
At last, this structure makes research on housing renovation, as well as on the coupling of housing and transports. Indeed, it is essential to think about how to produce the necessary energy for everyone’s transport mode, and about how to use it as a mean of storage or energy source in a house. This is a very innovative research approach encompassing the electricity vector but also hydrogen. These solutions will be tested on several INES demonstrators.
Contact : CEA / Jean Therme, tel. +33(0)4 38 78 35 19
This article is based on a discussion meeting and facilities visit to the National Institute of Solar Energy (INES), which took place on June 13, 2007 in Chambery, France, and is written and compiled by Yutaka Yoshimoto and Christophe Debouit (Paris Representative Office).
Japanese edition of this article is featured in the NEDO
Kaigai (Overseas) Report No. 1010 and 1011.
- Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique / Atomic Energy Council ; http://www.cea.fr/english_portal
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ; http://www.cnrs.fr/index.html
- Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment / Buildings Science and Technology
Center ;
http://international.cstb.fr/
- FTEI is a local network and regional network composed of companies incubators,
Technopoles, academia, research labs and local authorities. It aims to
develop innovation engineering, to network science and industry proficiencies
and support the development of innovative companies. FTEI is associate member
of 2 international networks : EBN (European Business And Innovation Network),
the network of European technopoles (http://www.ebn.be), and IASP (International
Association of Science Parks), the worldwide network of technopoles (http://www.iaspworld.org/).
- This part contains additional information taken from CEA Technologies magazine,
n°86, June-July 2007, page 6, “A new high-level test bench for INES”.
- The system is powered by a central heating system delivering 54 kW at
180°C and 110 kW at -10°C.
- French “Poles de Competitivite” (Competitiveness Clusters) were launched in
2005, with a budget of 1,5 billion euros for 3 years. Currently a total of
71, Poles can be defined as the gathering, on a single area, of :
• companies, research centres and academic structures, …
• involved in a strategic partnership with common strategy of development, …
• around common innovative projects on one specific topic or market.
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