A European research consortium is developing glass-free photovoltaic modules using fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The technology could enable lighter solar modules for curved and complex surfaces, including vehicles, ships and infrastructure. The project aims to demonstrate industrial feasibility by May 2029.
The European Sunrise consortium is working to eliminate the need for glass in certain photovoltaic applications by integrating solar cells directly into fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The approach could make it possible to manufacture lightweight modules that conform to curved or irregular surfaces, expanding the range of applications for integrated photovoltaics.
“The Sunrise project builds on work already validated by several partners before its launch,” Damien Gautier of the Becquerel Institute, who coordinates two of the project’s work packages, and project coordinator Jaime Cuartero told pv magazine.
The consortium brings together expertise in composite processing, particularly lamination and liquid composite molding (LCM), as well as previous experience integrating polycrystalline silicon cells into composite structures. The partners have also developed laser cutting, texturing and replication techniques to produce multifunctional surfaces. Laboratory and outdoor tests of these surfaces have demonstrated reductions in total reflection of up to 50%.
Building on these results, the project will focus on improving cell cutting, reversible electrical interconnections, molding and lamination processes, while developing encapsulants that facilitate module disassembly, repair and recycling. The consortium has already established the responsibilities of each partner and identified the materials and manufacturing processes to be developed.
Spain’s Aimen is leading research into laser cutting, texturing and LCM processes, while Germany’s Fraunhofer ISE is responsible for developing lamination techniques. Sweden’s Sticky Solar Power will develop a prototype string-manufacturing system using ribbon-deposition technology, which will subsequently be tested by Italy’s Solbian.
“At this stage, the work is primarily focused on the development and validation of these various processes,” the researchers said. They added that a roadmap for scaling up production and industrial deployment will be prepared later in the project, with equipment and manufacturing processes adapted to the facilities of the industrial partners.
Three industrial demonstrators
The project officially began with a kick-off meeting on June 25-26 and is scheduled to run for 36 months, until May 2029. Alongside the development of the manufacturing technologies, the consortium intends to establish an industrial platform for producing glass-free modules and demonstrate their performance through full-scale prototypes tested under conditions representative of commercial applications.
To support this transition from research to industrial production, the partners will adapt the composite manufacturing processes to existing facilities. Lamination developments will be implemented at Solbian and Solitek, while Forster System-Montage-Technik will focus on LCM processes. AIMEN will carry out the laser-related developments and supply the resulting materials to the industrial partners.
Meanwhile, the prototype string-manufacturing system developed by Sticky Solar Power is intended to be installed at Solbian, where it will be used to produce strings for the other demonstrators. Rather than concentrating the entire manufacturing chain at a single site, the project will distribute the processes across three pilot facilities, each specializing in a different stage of production.
“The project will thus rely on three pilot facilities, each dedicated to a specific portion of the developed processes, meaning no single facility covers the entire process chain,” the researchers explained.
The consortium has identified three applications in which the potential advantages of glass-free modules could be particularly significant. The first focuses on vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV), where reducing module weight is essential for limiting the additional load associated with solar integration. For this demonstrator, the partners aim to achieve a weight reduction of at least 80%, lower system-related costs by 30% and reduce lamination time by at least 50%.
The second demonstrator will target photovoltaic noise barriers, combining electricity generation with roadside infrastructure. In this application, the consortium aims to reduce module weight by at least 30% while achieving 98% of the efficiency of a reference tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) module. The modules will also be designed to withstand a static pressure of 5,400 Pa, addressing the mechanical requirements of infrastructure installations.
The third demonstrator will focus on maritime applications, particularly the integration of PV modules into ship decks. The objective is to develop a continuous solar surface without gaps between individual elements, while incorporating anti-slip properties suitable for use on board vessels. The consortium is also targeting a cost reduction of more than 20% compared with conventional solutions.
Across the three applications, the research aims to demonstrate how composite-based modules could overcome some of the weight and geometric limitations of conventional glass-based PV products. The broader objective is to enable European manufacturing of lightweight, mechanically robust modules that can be integrated into vehicles, vessels and infrastructure without compromising their intended functionality.
The project will also address end-of-life considerations from the design stage, with particular attention to disassembly, repairability and recycling, while ensuring that the resulting products comply with applicable standards.
Sunrise brings together 12 partners from eight European countries, including research institutions, industrial manufacturers and consulting organizations. The consortium covers the value chain from materials development and manufacturing processes to integrated PV applications, while an industrial advisory board will help assess the commercial relevance of the technologies and support their potential deployment.
Challenges for European manufacturing
However, scaling up glass-free photovoltaic technology from prototypes to commercial production in Europe will require overcoming several technical and industrial challenges. One of the main hurdles will be ensuring the reliability and reproducibility of cell processing and encapsulation techniques using fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) at an industrial scale. The consortium will also need to demonstrate compatibility with high-efficiency cell technologies, including TOPCon, interdigitated back contact (IBC), perovskite and tandem solar cells, while preserving the recyclability benefits of glass-free module designs.
Certification presents another challenge, as existing standards, particularly IEC 61215 and IEC 61730, were originally developed with conventional glass-based modules in mind. The partners will also need to demonstrate the long-term durability of composite structures under outdoor operating conditions and achieve manufacturing costs that are competitive with conventional PV modules using glass front sheets.
Beyond these technical and economic considerations, market acceptance could prove equally important. “Ultimately, the industrialization of these technologies will also depend on their adoption by a photovoltaic industry that remains largely accustomed to conventional, glass-based encapsulation solutions,” Gautier and Cuartero said.
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