Support from Spinverse helped Midsummer secure 32M€ in EU funding to build new solar cell factory
Swedish solar energy company Midsummer was selected in June 2023 by the EU to receive a significant grant to boost a self-sufficient solar energy production in Europe. The 32M€ funding, granted by the highly competitive EU Innovation Fund, is awarded to construct a new 200 MW mega factory in Sweden to produce CIGS (copper, indium, gallium and selenide) thin film solar cells. Spinverse contributed to the successful funding decision by providing expert services in the project application phase.
Innovation Fund is one of the world's largest financing programmes for innovative technologies, awarding funding to projects which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 32M€ grant is awarded to Midsummer to build a factory in Sweden to produce thin film solar cells of the CIGS type. Such cells are thin, light, flexible and possess an ultra-low climate footprint. They are particularly suitable for installation on the many roofs around Europe that cannot support the weight of traditional silicon solar panels.
According to CEO Sven Lindström from Midsummer, the company’s ambition is to become Europe's largest manufacturer of thin film solar cells with several factories across Europe, and this support will naturally facilitate the establishment of their second European megafactory after the 50 MW Italian factory that will soon open.
In this round, the EU has allocated a total of 3.6B€ to 41 large-scale European projects for the launch of innovative clean technologies. The goal is to contribute to a European and global green transition with financial support for innovative technologies, processes or products, which are sufficiently mature and which have significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sven Lindström sees the funding as a stamp of approval for their technology, future plans and for them as a company. He is proud of the company being one of the few scalable platforms in Europe and the most environmentally friendly. These are important factors for the EU, which wants to quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Europe and above all to do so with local European manufacturers, value chains and products.
Out of 239 applications submitted to the EU Innovation Fund, as few as 41 were selected to receive funding. Only three European solar companies were selected for funding from the Innovation Fund, Midsummer being one of them. Spinverse funding experts supported Midsummer in this competitive funding call in the application phase by managing and facilitating the whole proposal building process from project concepting to the proposal writing and quality assurance. Richard Jordberg from Midsummer says: “We are very satisfied with the expertise and support we received from the Spinverse team. The team members were very professional and got on the right track immediately, which paved the way in compiling our successful application.”
Michael Saulny from Spinverse, who was the Project Manager for the project proposal, sums up: “Midsummer’s vision and proven track-record for manufacturing state-of-the-art thin-film solar cells were remarkable and matching well with the Innovation Fund objectives. We had a good collaboration drive with Midsummer, and it was such a privilege for our whole team to plan this project together with them.”
More information: Midsummer successfully applies for 32 million euros in funding from the EU Innovation Fund for a new solar cell manufacturing megafactory in Sweden
Photo: Midsummer
About Midsummer
Midsummer is a Swedish solar energy company that develops, manufactures and sells solar cells to construction, roofing and solar cell installation companies and also manufactures, sells and installs solar roofs directly to end customers. The company also develops and sells equipment for the production of flexible thin film solar cells to strategically selected partners and machinery for research. The solar cells are of CIGS technology (consist of copper, indium, gallium and selenide) and are thin, light, flexible, discreet and with a minimal carbon footprint compared with other solar panels. midsummer.se