The EU’s 2050 targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy generation stimulate fast growth of a multibillion multi-technology industry based on innovation. Two key challenges in the development of new technologies for energy generation, distribution and storage/conversion are to ensure long-term durability at the required performance and short time-to-market of innovative products. This project will develop a cross-cutting European hybrid metrology capability for the characterisation of thin film performance and durability in energy applications; essentially developing experimental and mathematical methods to enable datasets from multiple measurements to be combined to deliver new or better results than the sum of individual methods.
Currently over 50 % of the EU’s energy is imported, leading to a lack of price control due to volatility of international markets. This scenario is further complicated by increasing demand and the significant detrimental impact of fossil fuels on the environment. To combat that situation Europe’s strategy[1] is to focus on more efficient ways of generating and using energy, which should lead to reduced CO2 emissions, improved energy security, creation of local jobs and increased exports of EU expertise and products. The EU’s targets for the use of renewable energy and energy efficient devices have stimulated fast growth of a multi-technology market based on innovation. Two key challenges in the development of new technologies for energy generation, distribution and storage/conversion are to ensure long-term durability at the required performance and short time-to-market of innovative products.
New, efficient energy technologies currently face barriers to market entry due to the challenge of demonstrating required lifetimes before product deployment. Predictive modelling of aging would reduce investment risks in new technologies and provide a link between laboratory tests and real life operation. It also would provide a ranking method for different materials and manufacturing processes, accelerating the cost-effective development of new energy technologies. The key challenge for predictive modelling is that degradation is affected by a complex mix of different parameters which would require a new analytical approach to combined data analysis.
In parallel, faster and more cost efficient development and transfer of manufacturing processes from laboratory to factory would accelerate uptake of new energy-efficient products. The complexity of thin films used in energy applications means that device performance is affected by a combination of different sample characteristics. The requirement to use complementary characterisation methods leads to major challenges related to reliable correlation of datasets from different metrology tools. The result is increased scale-up time and costs that adversely affects the uptake of better performing energy technologies.
This is a joint research project carried out in the framework of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) (see:http://www.euramet.org/research-innovation/empir/). The EMPIR initiative is co-funded by the European Unions's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the participating states. METAS is one of the project partners in the Project.