SEK 130 million for smart solar cells to replace disposable batteries
A new type of solar cell aims to reduce the use of disposable batteries. The Swedish Energy Agency is now granting SEK 130 million in funding to Exeger.
Exeger’s technology is based on silicon-free, thin, and durable solar cells that charge from all types of light —-both indoors and outdoors. This makes them suitable for use in products such as headphones. The technology is built on Swedish research, and the solar cells are produced through a supply chain that is primarily European. Unlike conventional solar cells, they are not dependent on critical raw materials.
“Investments in new solar cell technology open the door to innovative solutions as part of the transition to a sustainable energy system. Exeger’s technology can help reduce the use of disposable batteries while also decreasing the extraction of critical raw materials,” says Klara Helstad, Deputy Head of Research, Innovation and Business Development at the Swedish Energy Agency.
The production of the solar cells will be developed and tested through a pilot project. The new solar cells are expected to have a lower climate impact during manufacturing compared to commercially available technologies.
“We are proud and grateful for the Swedish Energy Agency’s decision. We are creating a silicon-free solar cell technology that can replace millions of disposable batteries while reducing the need for critical raw materials. Support from the Industrial Leap is crucial to enable the industrialisation of this technology,” says Giovanni Fili, CEO of Exeger.
About the Industrial Leap
The Swedish Parliament has adopted the climate target that Sweden should have no net emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by 2045 and thereafter achieve negative emissions. Major and complex technological leaps are required across several industries to reach this target. To support this transition, the government has launched the long-term initiative the Industial Leap.
Since 2021, the Industrial Leap has been part of the green recovery for a climate-smart society following the COVID-19 pandemic and is included in the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
