The Silicon Road – Chinese-Norwegian partnership in photovoltaics

The Chinese company Jinko Solar is currently the world’s largest producer of solar panels, and it manufactures the solar cells with the highest efficiency. Jinko Solar is also a key partner in the INTPART-project SiNorAPV: Sino-Norwegian Alliance in Photovoltaics, coordinated by Prof. Andrej Kuznetsov at the Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology (SMN), UiO. SiNorAPV is now looking for MSc- and PhD-students from UiO, NTNU, NMBU and UiA, who would like to spend a two-week internship this summer at the Jinko Solar factory near Shanghai. Five internships are available in 2018, the call can be found here.

Group photo from the visit to Zheijang University in Hangzhou. Foto: Stein Roar Fredriksen / UiO

UiO:Energy had the pleasure of being part of the UiO-delegation to China in April, visiting both Hangzhou and Beijing. In Hangzhou, the establishment of a Sino-Norwegian Centre for the Study of Society and Environment between Zheijang University and UiO was discussed, where the Airborne project  is a cornerstone. Another exciting part of the program was a truly interdisciplinary seminar, linked to the Chinese concept of Ecological Civilization, in this case spanning humanities, social science and solar cell physics.

One of the presenters was the Deputy Director of R&D in Jinko Solar, Dr. Zhang Xinyu. In the discussions after the seminar, he underlined how the quality of Jinko’s solar cells and panels depends on the quality of the feedstock. The very best silicon, he said, comes from Norway - from the companies NorSun and Norwegian Crystals. Dr. Zhang also revealed that collaborative research from the SiNorAPV-project had already been implemented in production lines, making its way into 150 000 solar cells per day. That is some really impressive impact of research UiO has contributed to!

From the visit to Tsinghua University, Beijing. Foto: Stein Roar Fredriksen / UiO

The internships mentioned initially illustrates the willingness to exchange knowledge and cooperate, and the trust built up in the Chinese-Norwegian PV alliance. Internship calls are planned for 2019 and 2020, as well. The partners are actively looking for funding to further strengthen their joint efforts and expand the alliance further. As pointed out by the Airborne researchers from UiO: Research collaboration with China is easier within technology than it is in social sciences and humanities. 

 

Discussing the Airborne project at the Tea House of Zheijang University in Hangzhou. Foto: Vebj?rn Bakken / UiO
IFE partners in discussion. Dr. Xinyu Zhang from Jinko Solar (left), Prof. Xiaolong Du from CAS (second left), Prof. Andrej Kuznetsov from UiO (second right) and Ivy Liu from Compart As (right).
SiNorAPV partners in discussion. Dr. Xinyu Zhang from Jinko Solar (left), Prof. Xiaolong Du from CAS (second left), Prof. Andrej Kuznetsov from UiO (second right) and Ivy Liu from Conpart As (right).
Published May 16, 2018 11:16 AM - Last modified Jan. 1, 2023 3:22 PM