Intelligent monitoring over PV fabrication lines: Platform-ZERO project to bridge the gap between Science & Industry

Our colleague Renan Andres Escalante Quijano, scientist in chemical physics area at Universidad Pablo de Olavide de Sevilla (UPO), presented our project last summer (August 2023) in Chile, at the seminary “Intelligent monitoring over PV fabrication lines: Platform-Zero project a bonding example between Science & Industry”

The activity was organized by the Physics department and the development center program of environment Technologies from CienciasUTEM. Was lead by Renán Escalante Quijano, scientist in chemical physics area at UPO.

At the event, attendees learnt and discussed Platform-ZERO’s ambition to improve the overall quality on the production of photovoltaic devices and, at the same time reduce manufacturing costs.  The presentation introduced the online supervision strategies and artificial intelligence systems which will be implemented and demonstrated with four European PV manufacturing companies.

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Download the presentation delivered at the event.

About UPO

As an educational space for higher education, UPO is at the service of society and defines itself as a place of reflection and critical thinking committed to contributing to progress , teaching respect for fundamental rights and public liberties, with the promotion of equality between women and men, solidarity and human values ​​and with the response to the needs and problems of contemporary society. The University encourages and promotes the participation of its members in international cooperation and solidarity activities and projects, as well as the carrying out of activities and initiatives that contribute to the promotion of equality between men and women, permanent support for people with special needs, the culture of peace, sustainable development and respect for the environment.

In Platform-ZERO, UPO will leverage its expertise in device optoelectronic assessment and electrical characterization of semiconductor devices to support the project activities and outcomes.

About Renan Andres Escalante Quijano

Renan is a Physical Engineer graduated from the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) with a Doctorate in physicochemical sciences from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV). In his doctoral thesis he focused on third generation solar cells, specifically on dye-sensitized cells and also on perovskite cells with a particular focus on those printed by screen printing, and he considered how to scale up with a view to industrialization.

He is currently carrying out a postdoctoral stay at the Pablo de Olavide University (UPO), where through the study of small disturbances he seeks to decipher the mysteries of how perovskite works, but even more importantly, he seeks its stability (of perovskite, clear).

Renán likes scientific dissemination and teaching , he has participated in every opportunity that has been presented to him to bring science easily to anyone who can stop for a moment to listen. He has taught classes at different educational levels, from high school to bachelor’s degree.

Seeing the challenges that teachers faced due to confinement due to Covid19 , he met with friends who also have a love for teaching science and founded KanikTIC , a group that is dedicated to the dissemination of digital educational tools for active, virtual teaching. and eventually in person.

Lines of investigation: Dye-sensitized solar cells; Perovskite solar cells; Scaling of third generation photovoltaic devices; Characterization of solar devices through optoelectronic techniques

Remarkable results: The implementation of screen printing as a cheap technique for printing the layers of a solar cell and the study of the resistance of the substrate and its influence on the performance of the cell.

Vocation: I have come to science with the desire to understand complicated things and be able to explain them in a simple way. The road has shown me that things are not so complicated in theory, but in practice it is another story. There is much to explore in the area of ​​photovoltaics, so I will be researching and sharing those results and understandings for a while longer.

Scientific desire: May we soon reach the point of coexisting with nature and not just living on it.

Read Renan’s publications on ResearchGate.