About Me
My name is Julian Weber and I work as a freelancer on an hourly basis and exclusively remotely. Thanks to my academic background and my many years of experience at Fraunhofer ISE, I have extensive expertise in the field of solar cells and solar modules. I am highly familiar with the manufacturing process of silicon-based solar modules, starting from the wafer. In addition, I have experience with III-V as well as perovskite tandem solar cells.
Dr.-Ing. (Sustainable Systems Engineering, University of Freiburg)
M.Sc. (Physics, University of Konstanz)
10 years at Fraunhofer ISE, Europe's largest solar research institute
“PV Freelancer” since 2025
Dr. Julian Weber
“Through Fraunhofer ISE's close collaboration with industry, I am accustomed to working with internationally active companies. The diverse range of tasks taught me how to quickly familiarize myself with new topics, develop innovative solutions, and work effectively within a team. I approach my work with determination, reliability, and commitment.”
What have I done so far? I have worked on the development of solar roof tiles, established new methods for characterizing shingle solar modules, researched integrated bypass diodes, quantified cell-to-module losses, earned a PhD on silicon solar cells with laser-doped selective emitters, fabricated III-V solar cells using vapor-phase epitaxy, separated solar cells using laser ablation, managed research projects, given presentations at international conferences, contributed to various patent applications, created educational videos on the fundamentals of PV, supervised employees, and much more.
Portfolio
My portfolio is of a scientific and technical nature and is aimed at companies and research institutions active in PV that seek temporary support from an expert. I am flexible in various areas—whether in research, project management, or customer engagement.
Product development, consulting, research, analysis, training
Planning, coordination, and evaluation of projects or experiments
Development of tools for data processing and simulation (with/without user interface)
Creation of scientific reports, articles, presentations
Do you already have a specific task, or would you like suggestions on how I can assist you?
Do you need my support for several months or just for a few hours?
Is there anything outside of the mentioned points that I can help you with?
Either way, feel free to contact me with no obligation.
Special Services
Simulation of PV Systems
Which design balances cost, efficiency, and shading tolerance? What are the implications of complex series and parallel interconnections? Are bypass or blocking diodes beneficial or necessary?
With my proprietary software, I am able to simulate virtually any PV system (from a handful of solar cells to numerous solar modules) under arbitrary illumination and shading conditions. The software supports various cell types, minor variations between the cells, and mutual cell overlapping. By calculating the I–V curve of each individual cell and diode, it computes the overall system curve, the key system parameters (peak power, open‑circuit voltage, etc.), and the power generated or dissipated by each cell.
Webinar “Partial Shading, Hotspots, Bypass Diodes”
How much current flows through the different areas and components of a partially shaded solar module, and in which direction? Why should the number of series-connected cells within a module be limited? Why can partial shading cause even individual unshaded cells to become excessively hot?
In the webinar, we conceptually break down the module and analyze the I–V curves of its individual elements (strings, shaded cells, bypass diodes, etc.). This approach makes it easy to understand what actually happens under partial shading—clear, accessible, and free of guesswork.
The webinar lasts approximately 1 hour, costs 150 €, and can be attended by an unlimited number of participants, with no prior knowledge required. It is available in both German and English.
