A new concept of solar power modules that can be transformed into flexible structural forms without the need for tempered glass and plastic is expected to increase solar power generation in cities with many restrictions on installation environments.

The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) announced on the 10th that Dr. Seung-il Cha's team at the Electric Conversion Materials Research Center has developed a 'new concept solar module technology' that can realize electricity self-sufficiency in cities.

The research team changed everything about solar modules, from materials to structure, which have been around for over 40 years. Existing solar modules have a laminated structure that wraps the solar cells in expensive reinforced glass and plastic to protect them.

On the other hand, Dr. Cha Seung-il's team sealed solar cells one by one with silicon without glass, and then connected them to create a flexible structure.

The electrical connection form of the module was also changed to allow for a hybrid method that mixes series and parallel (divided into several paths) depending on the installation environment, rather than the existing serial connection.

This is an idea that changes the paradigm of solar module manufacturing that has been stubbornly stubborn for decades, and is the world's first result achieved by KERI after years of research.

The biggest advantages of these new concept solar modules are stable output, safety, and flexibility.

KERI modules replace existing flammable plastics with flame retardant materials, resulting in high electrical insulation and durability.

Additionally, the series-parallel hybrid structure maintains high output even when there is a shading problem (partial shading) on the solar module, and also prevents the creation of hot spots.

The flexibility is as high as origami, and can be attached to various places such as urban buildings, benches, and sunshades to generate solar power.

In addition, the research team applied a tessellation (mosaic) structure similar to the pavement blocks on the street or the tile structure in the bathroom in terms of design, thereby increasing the usability and applicability in urban environments.

KERI also improved efficiency by introducing a new technology called the 'sunflower type' to solar modules. By attaching a shape memory alloy to the solar cell, the module follows the sun's position and changes its shape to the optimal shape to produce electricity (self-tracking).

This allowed us to increase daily power production by more than 60% compared to existing flat solar modules. It is the only system in the world that implements a sun tracking method as an integrated system without adding a separate system to the solar module.

Dr. Cha Seung-il said, “With our technology, everyday life where people can be self-sufficient in electricity using solar energy, an infinite eco-friendly resource, will unfold even in urban areas,” adding, “This will be an achievement that will greatly contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality, which is a national issue, and the strengthening of energy security.”

KERI's research results were recognized for their excellence and published in a total of five papers, including the cover paper of 'Sustainable Energy & Fuels', a scientific journal in the energy field published by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in the UK. KERI's goal is to expand the scope of solar power generation through continuous research, such as applying lightweight and efficient solar modules to unmanned transport vehicles (drones), which are future mobility.

Meanwhile, KERI is a government-funded research institute under the National Research Council of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Science and ICT.