Frederik C. Krebs has been appointed Professor at DTU

Frederik C. Krebs heads Risø DTU's research into polymer solar cells. From 15 January he is appointed Professor at DTU in the field of ”Organic Photovoltaics”.

Together with a research group of more than 20 colleagues, Frederik Krebs has created the basis for a promising technology: polymer solar cells. Frederik Krebs is 40 and works in the Solar Energy Programme at Risø DTU.

Frederik Krebs had a broad educational background when he started conducting research in polymer solar cells at Risø in 2001 being a young talented researcher. He had a BSc in chemistry and immunology from Scotland, a ”diplôme d'études approfondies (DEA)” from France, a MSc in chemistry from the University of Copenhagen and a PhD in chemistry from DTU. Since then, the research group under Frederik Krebs' leadership has grown and today belongs to the international pioneers within the development of next-generation solar cells.

Solar cells are becoming one of tomorrow's significant renewable energy technologies, and Europe is leading in this area. The use of polymer solar cells is expected to increase in the coming decades, when new generations of solar cells – which can be produced in large quantities and at very low prices – achieve sufficiently high performance and durability. In this connection Risø DTU's contribution could become groundbreaking and provide opportunities for Denmark to take part in the solar cell success.

Risø's research into polymer solar cells concerns long-life solar cells printed with ordinary printing techniques. Research is done in collaboration with national and international research partners. It goes hand in hand with development efforts with Danish industry partners focusing on the demonstration of polymer solar cells on a large scale.

Examples of demonstration projects are: polymer solar cells connected to the grid, polymer solar cells in a hat and a LED lamp integrated into a polymer solar cell. The lamp could, for example, be used as a reading lamp in rural areas without electricity in third world countries. It has been tested by schoolchildren in Zambia.

Frederik C. Krebs is the author of more than 200 publications, including more than 130 articles in peer reviewed journals. He has 17 filed patents. In December 2009, he was awarded the Carlsberg Energy Research Prize for his research. In 2006 he was honoured with the Knud Lind Larsen Prize.

A number of Frederik Krebs' and the research group's publications are among DTU's and Denmark's most quoted new research publications on materials and energy technologies. In 2009 he was quoted almost 1100 times.