What is SOLAR POWERED SYSTEMS IREC-UPC all about?
- Joint IREC–UPC hub for next‑generation solar technologies.
- Pioneering sustainable thin‑film PV for flexible integration.
- Bridging materials research and industrial‑scale innovation.
- Driving Europe’s leadership in emerging solar energy solutions.
The Solar Powered Systems IREC‑UPC Joint Research Unit is a strategic alliance between IREC’s Solar Energy Materials & Systems Group and the Micro and Nanotechnology Group at UPC. It focuses on advanced thin‑film photovoltaic materials, devices and processes, combining complementary expertise and state‑of‑the‑art infrastructure to develop sustainable, cost‑efficient solar technologies ready for ubiquitous integration in buildings, products and urban environments.
Advanced thin‑film PV design
Design and optimise advanced thin‑film photovoltaic materials and devices tailored for flexible, building‑integrated and product‑integrated solar applications.
Sustainable, scalable PV processes
Develop sustainable, industry‑compatible processes that reduce cost and environmental impact while enabling scalable manufacturing of next‑generation PV technologies.
Data‑driven characterisation and AI
Apply data‑driven characterisation, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, to accelerate innovation in solar device performance and reliability.
Boosting Europe’s solar leadership
Strengthen Europe’s position in emerging solar technologies by bridging fundamental research with industrial validation and market‑oriented demonstration.
Collaborations
The Solar Powered Systems IREC-UPC JRU collaborates and is participated by:
Mater-One
Novel low‑dimensional chalco‑halide materials enabling advanced, cost‑efficient photovoltaic devices for integrated solar applications.
ERC Consolidator SENSATE
Low‑dimensional semiconductors for optically tuneable solar harvesters, pushing the boundaries of next‑generation photovoltaic conversion.
H2020 Custom-Art
Disruptive kesterite‑based thin‑film technologies tailored for building skins and active urban furniture with high‑impact solar functions.
H2020 INFINITE-CELL
Cost‑efficient kesterite/Si tandem solar cells developed through international cooperation to unlock the next wave of high‑efficiency PV.
Programme News
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IREC contributes to Catalonia’s energy innovation
The Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC), a member of the CERCA network and holder of the TECNIO acrreditation from ACCIO, which distinguishes high-tech developers and facilitators in Catalonia, celebrates the recent classification of Catalonia’s overall indicator is above the European Union average according to the European Innovation Scoreboard 2023, compiled by the European Commission.…
Read more: IREC contributes to Catalonia’s energy innovationPablo Fernández Martínez
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