There is enough solar energy available to cover our global energy needs, but we need better ways of using its full potential. At VTT, we are devoted to helping our clients find new ways of harvesting solar energy, developing solar energy applications and utilising these in their operations.
Key facts
VTT’s special expertise is the ability to look at solar energy as part of the bigger system.
We are piloting new uses for perovskite solar cells and organic photovoltaics. Printable thin-film solar cells can be used in a wide range of applications.
Integrating solar energy solutions to built environment reduces our dependency on fossil fuels.
Solar energy applications at every scale
We develop technologies for harvesting solar energy, such as organic solar cells and perovskite photovoltaics, and help our clients with planning solar energy systems. Our strength lies in our unique ability to combine practical and theoretical expertise and bring various different players together.
Whether you are optimising solar energy systems or looking to develop energy-autonomous wearable technologies, we have the expertise to support you.
Thin-film solar cells and energy-autonomous IoT
Solar energy and its applications have a lot of untapped potential in the field of digital technologies. Energy harvesting from light could be utilised in energy autonomous applications, for instance wearables, logistics tracking solutions and other smaller-scale sensing with Bluetooth or near-field communication (NFC) features. As trailblazers in printed solar cells and sensor technologies, we conduct cutting edge solar energy research in collaboration with our clients to find new solutions to their needs.
Perovskite solar cells (PSC) and organic photovoltaics (OPV)
Printing and coating technologies enable the fabrication of PSC and OPV with free-form designs without wasting materials or energy. Our lab and pilot facilities offer the perfect space for material testing, device fabrication, characterisation and integration into systems.
Flexible, lightweight and ultrathin solar cells make it possible to harvest energy from light almost everywhere.
Solar energy integration and applications in built environment
On a larger scale, solar energy applications will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Distributed energy harvesting will increase the resilience of the energy system and mitigate its vulnerability.
Our wide range of expertise allows us to look at solar energy as part of the bigger system. For example, our system analysis for solar thermal and photovoltaic applications can be used to examine the performance of products integrated into buildings and energy systems.
In hybrid energy systems, solar energy technologies such as concentrated solar power (CSP), building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and solar thermal collectors are connected with, for example, storage systems and building products. These systems can be optimised using our system simulation programs and the performance can be validated by experimental testing and in demonstrations.
Solar-related energy business and services
Developing new service and business models or public policies around solar energy requires a deep understanding of the topic. With our track record of successful national and international solar projects and in-depth solar energy research we have gained thorough knowledge of the opportunities and barriers for solar energy applications.
We help our clients succeed with user studies and stakeholder analyses as well as network and business analyses. What could combining the insights on technology and business do for your organisation?
Experts in solar energy applications
From solar-powered cities to wearable energy harvesters, our experts can help you find the best way to utilise solar energy.
Mari Ylikunnari has been researching printed electronics at VTT for more than ten years. Her main focus is on developing and piloting printed functional materials.
Mia Ala-Juusela has over 20 years of experience on the integration of renewables into energy efficient buildings and communities. Solar energy was her reason for starting engineering studies, and it has been a permanent component in her work ever since.
Riikka Suhonen has over 15 years of experience in printed electronics. Her fields of expertise include thin film devices such as OLEDs, Li-ion batteries and perovskite photovoltaics, and their processing via scalable techniques.
How to work with us
When it comes to solar energy applications, there are many ways to utilise our expertise.
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Contact us!
Tell us what you want to do, and we will figure out how to do it. No project is too small or too ambitious – we would love to hear from you. After the initial assessment, we might be able to offer some of the options listed below.
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Customised partnership
Every research case is unique, and we’re happy to tailor our services to your needs. You will get full ownership of the intellectual property rights of any project we undertake together.
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Cooperative project
We frequently participate in research and development projects with multiple business partners and funding agencies. In cooperative projects the risk is split between multiple organisations and everyone benefits from the results.
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Our networks at your disposal
We are happy to put you in touch with the ideal sparring and development partner.
Contact us here!
Projects
Here are some of the solar energy field projects VTT is participating in:
PerTPV
The PerTPV project aimed to drive the performance and fabrication methodologies of high-efficiency, low-cost perovskite solar cells that are compatible with high volume manufacturing.
EXCESS
In the EXCESS project, different solar energy applications are part of Positive Energy Buildings, contributing to the decarbonisation of built environment.
