NEW SOLAR CELL MANufacturing

GigaPV applied for a subsidy to the Innovation Fund

In March, GigaPV S.A. submitted an application to the EU Innovation Fund (InnoFund) program for the PhoTons project – Production of TOPCon photovoltaic cells in Poland as part of the European supply chain. In this way, the company has reached one of the milestones on the way to obtaining financing and launching the production of a new generation of photovoltaic cells with a capacity of 1 GW per year at the turn of 2025/2026. The gigafactory construction project has been in development for 2 years. The selection of technology and the development of directions for its improvement are carried out in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute. The actions taken so far allow not only to increase the efficiency of cells (25.5%), but above all to reduce the cost of metallization of contacts (electrodes). An important element of the activities carried out by the company is to ensure sources of financing, including the development of an appropriate path of public aid, for which the Institute of Renewable Energy – founder of GigaPV is responsible. In addition to attracting private investors, the company is seeking public funding. In particular, it concerns the so-called important projects of common interest (PV IPCEI), the National Recovery Plan (KPO) and the use of the latest support instruments for the PV industry. They include the EU’s proposals in the Regulation on Carbon-Neutral Industry (Net Zero-Industry Act) and the currently revised Temporary Framework for State Aid in Crisis Situations (TCTF) and the new State Aid Guidelines for Industry (GBER). As a result, it will be possible to support the EU PV industry with subsidies, tax reliefs and loans or guarantees, and level the playing field in competition with Asia and the United States. Obtaining and finalizing the financing for the construction of the cell factory, due to the significant initial costs exceeding EUR 86 million, is the key task of the GigaPV management board over the next 12-18 months. InnoFund is one of the funds offering subsidies for industrial investments, theoretically up to 60% of the CAPEX incurred for innovations aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. Among several criteria for evaluating applications, the most important is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. When preparing the PhoTons project for InnoFund, Giga PV took into account the minimization of the carbon footprint in the entire supply chain. As a future business partner, it gained support from both European suppliers of silicon wafers with the lowest carbon footprint as well as from key domestic and European manufacturers of PV modules (cell receivers) and suppliers of equipment for the production line. The prediction line will be installed in the existing industrial hall in Racibórz, which ensures low energy expenditure for construction. Approx. 15% of the factory’s electricity consumption will come from its own PV farm, and 50% of the cell production will be directed to the high-emission domestic energy market. As a result, in accordance with the InnoFund methodology for large projects (LSC-2022), the gigafactory will reduce CO2 emissions by 25.1 million tons over 10 years. An important element of the work on the application was talks with partners, obtaining offers from equipment suppliers and production line contractors, as well as expressions of interest from financing institutions, banks and private investors. InnoFund is a prestigious source of financing, especially important in the initial phase of the investment and – which is unique – also at the stage of ensuring the modernization of the line and the improvement of technology several years after the start of production. The subsidy can be a lever for other public and private sources of co-financing – notes Grzegorz Wiśniewski – CEO of GigaPV. He also emphasizes that the work on the application and the update of the feasibility study and business plan allowed for the expansion and consolidation of the team of experts, creating the engineering, scientific and managerial foundations of the future team. 305 people will be employed directly in production and control (full-time equivalents), and in addition, the factory will generate almost 1,300 indirect jobs in the supply chain, adds Wiśniewski. GigaPV thanks in particular European suppliers of silicon wafers and Polish producers of PV modules and the financial sector for their support of the application.