CEA is the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, a European leader in research, development and innovation In the field of Solar Energy, CEA-INES is the French National Institute for Solar Energy newly created in 2006 close to Le Bourget du Lac with more than 400 employees involved on the whole value chain, from material to systems and solar mobility. CEA-INES is dedicated to all the technologies involved in Solar energy. From silicon material (ingot, wafering, characterization), cells (High efficiency silicon solar cells, Organic/Perovskite solar cells), to modules (interconnection, encapsulation, new processes, adapted modules) and systems (PV, monitoring, thermal and energy storage) up to building integration.. Moreover a platform dedicated to a semi industrial pilot line on the heterojunction solar cell is also located at CEA-INES to develop processes previous to industrialization (TRL6).

The photovoltaic solar platform’s mission is to contribute to the development of the solar industry in France. And, with more than 200 employees from CEA and 100 industrial partners from SMEs to corporations, the platform is one of Europe’s largest PV R&D facilities.

The platform’s PV R&D focuses on materials, with particular attention given to developing high performance, competitively-priced silicon; PV cell technology and yield enhancement; and solar modules and optimization. Applied research takes place at experimental PV facilities and at reduced-scale and life-sized solar power plants.