Swansea project aims to boost African and Asian solar

Known as TEA (Transforming Energy Access) at SUNRISE, the project builds on the existing Swansea-led SUNRISE, winner of the Future Thinking category at The Engineer’s 2020 C2I Awards. This new iteration - part of the UK government-funded Transforming Energy Access (TEA) programme – will extend SUNRISE beyond Africa and India to encompass more countries in the developing world. The project will aim to establish manufacturing hubs for efficient, low-cost PV modules, aligning production with regions where solar energy is most abundant.   

"TEA at SUNRISE builds on the highly successful SUNRISE network, extending the development of next-generation photovoltaics into Africa, Asia and the Indo-Pacific,” said project lead Dr Mark Spratt, from the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre at Swansea University.

“In pursuing a just energy transition, these new technologies can play a pivotal role in ensuring energy access is delivered equitably, free of the environmental and ethical issues associated with current PV manufacturing."

According to Spratt and his colleagues, TEA at SUNRISE will place a strong emphasis on ensuring the PV technologies are designed for a circular economy to limit waste and the use of critical materials.

Currently, the solar market is dominated by silicon modules, the manufacture of which is resource-intensive and requires significant upfront investment. By focusing on next-generation solar materials, the intention is to design for ease of re-use and re-manufacture from the outset, empowering local supply chains and building sustainable business models.

"Collaboration is crucial to accelerating a just and inclusive clean energy transition,” said Iain Meager, director of Innovation at the Carbon Trust.

“By joining forces with local stakeholders in Africa, Asia, and the Indo-Pacific, TEA at SUNRISE will bolster the knowledge exchange and learning necessary to accelerate the scale of sustainable photovoltaic manufacturing at a local level. This will not only help foster economic development but also reduce the environmental impact of PV production."