IUMAT PVtech at WCPEC-9
From 15 to 20 November, the IUMAT PVtech team will head to Daejeon, South Korea, for WCPEC-9, one of the world’s leading conferences on photovoltaic research.
The team will present its research and exchange ideas with experts from around the world, contributing to the ongoing development of solar technology. Together with POM Limburg, they will also participate in the panel discussion "From Belgium to beyond Europe: How does PV innovation move from lab to industry?".
Speakers and subjects
- Bart Vermang: Inside out: interface-driven device architectures in chalcopyrite solar cells
- Jonathan Parion: From Lab to Field: Mapping Degradation in Perovskite Modules via Spatially Resolved Characterization and Simulation
- Arantxa Aguirre: Strategies for scaling perovskite solar modules for long life.
- Ismail Kaaya: Temporal evolution of hysteresis and resistance parameters in outdoor-exposed perovskite mini-modules
- Ismail Kaaya: Outdoor performance of stable ~800 cm2 perovskite solar modules across multiple climates
- Namatullah Nizamani: PbCl2-Assisted Dual-Layer Fully Sequential Evaporation Deposition for Scalable Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules
- Shu-Ngwa Asa'a: Combining semitransparent c-Si PV modules and apple orchards in agrivoltaic systems
- Cristian Villalobos: Scalable Interface Engineering in Hybrid FAPbI3 Enabling Stable Perovskite Devices and Industrially Relevant Tandem Integration
- Sujith Vishwanathreddy: Unravelling reverse bias induced degradation in perovskite solar cells and modules
- Nikoleta Kyranaki: Framed for the Future: Rethinking PV Module mounting for Reliability and Sustainability
- Mihir Mahajan: Exploring Carbon-Based Pastes for Sustainable Metallization and Interconnection of Silicon Heterojunction Cells
- Aslihan Babayigit: Disentangling Ion Migration from Artifacts in High-Fidelity ToF-SIMS Depth Profiling of Perovskite Solar Cells
- Hamed Javanbakht Lomeri: Sustainable Cu/Ag metallization and multi-wire interconnection for reliable SHJ mini-modules
- Sunil Suresh: Molecular-Ink Silver Alloying Enabled over 17% efficient, (Ag, Cu)(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 Solar Cells and 20% Fully Ink-Based Monolithic Perovskite Tandems
- Sunil Suresh: Role of inter-recombincation layers in the degradation of perovskite absorbers in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS)/perovskite monolithic tandem solar cells
- Selin Seyrek: DMSO-free Ultra-Wide Bandgap Perovskites for Triple-Junction Applications
Panel discussion: From Belgium to Beyond Europe: How Does PV Innovation Move from Lab to Industry?
Discover the EnergyVille–Thor Park Innovation Ecosystem
About the session
How can Europe translate its excellence in PV research into industrial competitiveness, and how can international partnerships accelerate the deployment of next-generation PV technologies?
Europe has a strong position in PV research, yet bridging scientific breakthroughs and industrial deployment remains a challenge. Using Belgium’s EnergyVille–Thor Park innovation ecosystem as a concrete example, this session explores how research institutions, pilot manufacturing, technology validation and industry can work together to bring new PV technologies to market.
A short pre-recorded video keynote by Pierre Verlinden will set the global scene, followed by a presentation of the EnergyVille–Thor Park ecosystem and an international expert panel on European PV competitiveness, research–industry partnerships and opportunities for Europe–Asia collaboration.
Programme
- 14:45 | Doors open
- 15:00 | Welcome & opening — Yu Chen (POM Limburg) and Yunjung Choi
- 15:10 | Video keynote — Pierre Verlinden — “From Research Excellence to Industrial Leadership: What’s Next for Global PV Innovation?” A global perspective on PV technology, industrial challenges and international partnerships.
- 15:20 | Ecosystem presentation — Annelies Gorissen (POM Limburg) — “The European Energy Innovation Ecosystem: EnergyVille–Thor Park as a Gateway to Europe.” Connecting PV research, pilot manufacturing and industrial partners.
- 15:30 | Expert panel — “Building Successful Innovation Partnerships: From European Research Excellence to Global Industrial Impact.” Discussion on technology upscaling, industrial competitiveness and Europe–Asia cooperation.
Moderator & panelists
- Moderator | Dr. Aslihan Babayigit — EnergyVille/UHasselt, Belgium; next-generation perovskite photovoltaics
- Prof. Dr. Bart Vermang | EnergyVille/imec, Belgium — Thin-film and tandem PV; connecting research and industrial applications
- Prof. Dr. Patrizio Manganiello | EnergyVille/UHasselt, Belgium — PV systems, power electronics and renewable energy integration
- Dr. Jihye Gwak | KIER, South Korea — Solar energy research and international PV collaboration
- Gaëtan Masson | Becquerel Institute, Belgium — PV markets, policy and commercialization
- Dr. Negar Naghavi | CNRS / IPVF, France — Thin-film PV and European research collaboration
Key discussion themes
European PV industrial competitiveness and manufacturing • Technology validation, pilot manufacturing and upscaling • Effective research–industry partnerships • Opportunities for Europe–Asia research and industrial cooperation
- 16:15 | Networking reception (invitation only) — DCC 2, Room 301; introduction by Wouter Vanhees (Flanders Investment & Trade)
- 17:30 | Closing
Organized by POM Limburg, with the support of Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT).