ISC Konstanz to spearhead new PV research centre in Chile

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
ISC Konstanz' AtaMo technology in the field at the PDSA testing site in the Atacama desert. Image credit: ISC Konstanz.

German PV research institute ISC Konstanz is leading the development of a new solar development laboratory in Chile.

With the backing of the Chilean government, ISC Konstanz, Fraunhofer Chile, SERC and the French CEA INES will pursue the lowest LCOE possible through a range of activities including optimising desert performance, tracking and bifacial modules and system design. The work will cover soiling, system design and the best module configurations for the harsh climatic conditions.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“It will not be testing only but developing [products] too,” said Radovan Kopecek, CTO at ISC Konstanz. “We will set up a module pilot line where we will test and develop new components, new stringing, new design and so on,” he added.

The Atacama Module and System Technology Center (AtaMoS-TeC) will spend the first 18-24 months with the member institutes continuing development of their desert modules. During this period of ongoing work, the centre’s building will be constructed and equipment assembled for the pilot line.

At that point, a staff of 25-30 researchers will begin working at the facility.

Kopecek told PV Tech that the partnership with CORFO, Chile’s economic promotion body, will look to stimulate use of the new facility’s research in mainstream production. A policy of technology transfer will also ensure that other countries with desert conditions can benefit from its work.

Industry partners, including Enel, Colbún, Mondragón and Cintac have contributed US$5 million with CORFO providing US$12 million of funding for the project.

“This consortium has very specific goals for a period of no more than 10 years, where they have to be able to halve the cost of generating energy by photovoltaics, addressing the specific problems facing the Atacama Desert. If we achieve this, Chile will be in a position to change its productive, industrial and mining structure, especially in the north of the country,” said Eduardo Bitran, head of CORFO.

ISC Konstanz has contributed to a bifacial special report in the upcoming edition of PV Tech Power. We'll be looking at competing module configurations, the project to develop IEC standards for bifacial modules and an assesment of optimal system design from test sites on two continents. 

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

June 30, 2025
Australian module manufacturer Tindo Solar has secured a 30MW solar module supply agreement to power Australia's first "net zero pipeline”.
June 27, 2025
Indian solar manufacturer Premier Energies has commissioned its 1.2GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing line at Fab City, Hyderabad, Telangana.
June 26, 2025
A group of minority shareholders in Norwegian silicon firm REC Silicon has triggered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the closure of the company’s US polysilicon production site.
Premium
June 26, 2025
Carlos Rodriguez, Oktoviano Gandhi and Sun Huixuan examine the energy yield performance of different FPV system configurations.
June 26, 2025
PV solar cell manufacturer Halocell Energy has launched its first perovskite-based product called the Halocell Ambient Modules.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
July 2, 2025
Bangkok, Thailand
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico