Recognized globally for being at the forefront of Research, Development and Innovation, BYD is constantly working on its projects. Worldwide, more than 18,000 patents have been registered with the involvement of 40,000 engineers and researchers. In Brazil, the incentives are no different. With the aim of offering clean energy and electric solutions for transport in different segments, BYD has invested on a large scale and maintains a research and development (R&D) department supported by the Program to Support the Technological Development of the Semiconductor Industry (PADIS). The project advocates continuous improvements in manufacturing processes, allowing new products to be introduced onto the domestic market and guaranteeing high quality, in line with international manufacturing standards.
Since 2017, BYD has been working with the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) on incentives for research into photovoltaic cells, modules and systems, and has funded scholarships for master's and doctoral studies for a group of 10 students. It also makes it possible to purchase equipment and supplies to carry out the research and provides infrastructure and laboratories.
One of the results of the partnership was the creation of a pioneering laboratory to carry out tests and studies on the degradation and performance of photovoltaic modules, "with various pieces of equipment that were previously inaccessible to Brazilian researchers and could only be found in international laboratories," said Marcelo Villalva, PhD, professor at Unicamp's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (FEEC) and coordinator of the studies.
Villalva is one of the world's five most cited researchers in the field of photovoltaic systems, according to the scientific database Google Scholar, and is also among the world's most influential scientists in a ranking organized annually by Stanford University. For him, "the partnership with BYD is a successful example of cooperation between company and university". He highlights the start of the cooperation and the various master's and doctoral studies funded entirely by BYD's R&D program. "These are very important investments in training people in a country so lacking in resources for science."
The agreement with Unicamp also adds to the efforts of the professor and researcher Dr. Luiz Carlos Kretlyalso from FEEC. His work focuses on integrated circuits and the development of advanced techniques for detecting faults in photovoltaic cells. "The process is known as time domain reflectometry (TDR) and allows us to determine the precise location of defects in cells or welds in photovoltaic modules," says Kretly. The professor also points out that the technique can be useful in the final inspection or even during the manufacture of photovoltaic modules."
The team was recently joined by Professor Dr. Francisco das Chagas MarquesHe is a professor at Unicamp's Gleb Wataghin Physics Institute (IFGW) who is researching new materials to increase the efficiency of crystalline cells and dye-sensitized photovoltaic cells.
"A lot of the research carried out will have long-term results, but the first ones are already beginning to be seen in the paper submitted by the group and approved for presentation at the 8th World Congress on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, scheduled for September this year in Milan, Italy." The professor reveals that one of the approaches is the application of photoluminescent pigments to increase light capture in photovoltaic cells.
Hugo AlvarezDr. in electronics, microelectronics and optoelectronics, who is part of BYD's research and development team, highlights the promotion of research and innovation, encouraging the development of human capital in universities and stimulating the expansion of research in the country. "It's a joint effort that makes it possible not only to understand the degradation mechanisms of a module, but also to help with approval by IN Metro. Not forgetting the positive impact on science in Brazil."
The agreement with Unicamp was established a year after the start of BYD's module factory in Brazil and its registration with PADIS took place in 2016 and has been renewed annually ever since.
This year's results were shared for the first time at a workshop held on June 30 at BYD, which was attended by Unicamp teachers and students. A new meeting is planned, and as a result of the positive results, plans are being made to open up to external participation, which will provide society with the opportunity to exchange and learn about the studies.
