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Record Efficiency for Plastic Solar Cells

Continued from page 1

By Peter Fairley

Friday, July 13, 2007

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Yang Yang, a physicist at the University of California, Los Angeles, agrees that rapid improvement is likely. He says that such optimization could yield a tandem cell that's more than 10 percent efficient. "I would call this important progress," he says.

Not all experts are as optimistic. Sean Shaheen, who recently left a research post at the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the University of Denver, cautions not to overreact to the report. For one thing, says Shaheen, efficiency estimates are notoriously unreliable because each research group tests efficiency under its own approximation of the solar spectrum.

Another hurdle for the tandem cell is manufacturing. Konarka vice president of research Russell Gaudiana expects that the company would be able to produce Heeger's tandem cells on the same printing lines it now uses to make prototype modules containing single cells of plastic photovoltaics, but he says it will be "trickier" to keep the tandem cell's layers from intermixing in commercial-scale production. "We anticipate seeing the typical problems that one always sees when putting down multiple layers," says Gaudiana. "Alan does it in the laboratory and does a very good job at it, but doing it on a coating machine at high speed is a little different."

For the time being, says Gaudiana, Konarka will stay focused on producing single-cell plastic photovoltaics with 5 percent efficiency. That power output is sufficient for Konarka's first application, portable battery chargers, which the company hopes to begin selling next year. But tandem cells could help Konarka reach the more demanding rooftop market, which Gaudiana says will require at least 7 percent efficiency.

Comments

  • $ / KWH
    Sorry to be such a "one note" on this point.

    Made out of "plastic" ought to be "cheap".

    How much is it going to cost, to produce how many net KWH for end users?

    How durable will these solar cells be?
    Will they need to be replaced every year?
    3 years? 5?  10?
    Rate this comment: 12345

    nekote
    07/13/2007
    Posts:139
    Avg Rating:
    3/5
    • Re: $ / KWH - Still Research
      This is lab bench project at this point.

      Even at 5-6%, if this can be spooled out of a factory at a few bucks a square foot it can be a good thing.

      Nick G
      South Dartmouth MA
      Rate this comment: 12345

      nick47g
      07/13/2007
      Posts:18
      Avg Rating:
      3/5
      • Re: $ / KWH - Still Research
        Agree with Nick, too many questions for a research stage ( obviously price of materials is not strictly correlated in this matters).
        We are 10 years from a reliable open (civilian) product.
        Rate this comment: 12345

        advill
        07/14/2007
        Posts:15
        Avg Rating:
        2/5
      • Re: $ / KWH - Still Research
        How does this efficiency compare with the modules produced by Uni-Solar (a subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices) -- see a report on their flexible solar product here http://www.uni-solar.com/uploadedFiles/AA53606-02Technical%20Report120706small.pdf  I am not a technology expert and thus wonder how much of an advance this is?
        Rate this comment: 12345

        fredwright
        07/16/2007
        Posts:1
        • Re: $ / KWH - Still Research
          It is not unusual for questions to abound experimental phase (laboratory and pilot stages)
          of any product development.
          In this context, efficiency in output, very uncertain, in my perception, but in production cost,endproduct risk
          factors and safety, likely favorable.
          Rate this comment: 12345

          martinaatayo
          07/23/2007
          Posts:43
          Avg Rating:
          2/5
    • Re: $ / KWH
      Hey, it is not politically correct to question greenies!  Cut it out.

      The real cost of the power is not relevant.  There is special "Greenie Math" you must learn.  In "Greenie Math" never worry about real cost.  You must support insane funding of greenie scams, and government subsidies fall from the sky (from the Tooth Fairy) without impacting anything else in society (such as medical care and money to send kids to college).

      So what if your solar electricity costs 50 cents a KWH, suck it up, laws must force you to buy it. Turn off your air conditioner and lights and send your kids off to the recycling center at age 18, there are no other industrial jobs with power at half a buck.
      Rate this comment: 12345

      lonestar
      10/15/2007
      Posts:1
      Avg Rating:
      1/5
  • DC Lamp for photovoltaic system use
    East Power Development Limited. is a manufacturer and exporter of Low voltage 12V DC Fluorescent Solar Lamps.these lamps are designed for Photovoltaic PV system use.

    http://www.ablamp.com
    Rate this comment: 12345

    ablamp
    07/26/2007
    Posts:5
    Avg Rating:
    3/5
  • More Konarka HOOEY
    These guys were established in 01 to exploit TiO2 and claimed they could "COLD" sinter it onto plastic, which was their major IP (Titanium isopropoxide w/water is a simple sol-gel).

    They raised a pile of dough, couldn't do it and bought an Austrian plastic solar startup and acquired Siemens ip with plastic and fullerenes.

    They still couldn't do it and they raised another pile of dough and shifted focus to Quantum Dots embedded in a polythiophene.

    Raised another pile of dough and now are making more promises.

    What's next with these bozos? Betchya they're going to claim power from moonlight and raise another pile of dough.
    Rate this comment: 12345

    mlado
    08/09/2007
    Posts:1
    Avg Rating:
    5/5
    • Re: More Konarka HOOEY
      Heh, you could probably get a small amount of power from full moonlight with a good concentrator PV design. Anyone tried that before?
      Rate this comment: 12345

      Siphon
      08/21/2007
      Posts:145
      Avg Rating:
      3/5
    • Re: More Konarka HOOEY
      Well lets hope Konarka has finally got something together. No one has made any solar panels that are cost effective yet. That is where I hope these are different. I think the ol boy who designed these has a good idea, however now that he has partnered with Konarka the likelihood of it getting to the consumer in the next decade is slim. I have reached the point where I too have little faith in Konarka. They do everything they can do to avoid contact with anyone, so if you don't have a few million to give to them their web site really means don't call us we'll call you! I like how they say it though, "please fill out our on-line “contact us” form so that we can learn more about you. If there is a fit with Konarka’s needs, we will be in touch." HA HA HA HA, boy that’s rich, there is nothing like a lawyer and an accountant writing the contact information. Sheesh.

      It has been two years now and they are still dragging their feet. I guess their two million hasn't run out yet. Oh yea, check out their web site contact information. The only one that send you to a form is if you want to send them money the rest run you around in circles or give you the don’t call us we’ll call you message. They have had plenty of time to get a product to market and I wonder if it is as great as they say it is big business is likeky going to do everything they can to stop production of the product because they would loose money if the normal Joe had the ability to generate cheap electricity he wouldn’t need to buy near as much power from the grid and many would be selling their excess back to the power companies. At 20 dollars for a 50 watt panel or even better print your own on your ink jet printer for 10 cents a watt the whole economy would be effected. Why we would have electric cars anywhere there was sun.

      Imagine the reality of this product, why I could afford to power my 2000 sq ft house with solar panels and a battery system for under 1500 dollars. It would pay for it’s self in less than a year. Nope, I seriously doubt it is going to happen any time soon. Even if it does work there is no way big business will ever let Joe average get his hands on anything like that in this millennium there is just to much at risk in big business’s pocketbook!

      It nice to dream though.
      badmoon
      Rate this comment: 12345

      badmoonryzn
      04/18/2008
      Posts:1
      Avg Rating:
      5/5
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    Rate this comment: 12345

    chinasolarli...
    05/26/2008
    Posts:1
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