Plastic solar cell sets efficiency record

Eventually, plastic solar panels could push those made of silicon out of the picture, as the plastic ones allow for the many advantages common to the material: ease of design, customizable shape and sizes, the ability to integrate functions, and in this case also better low-light performance. According to Solarmer, its panels will be able to drive down cost for solar power to 12-15 cents/kWh.

The company made the current record-setting panels as prototypes; it hopes to start semi-commercial sales in 2010. The first major applications for this technology will likely be portable digital electronic devices (such as cell phones and PDAs) and smart fabrics (such as tents and solar bags). Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), in the form of power windows, will soon follow.

Traditional silicon based solar panels currently dominate the solar market with 90% market share. But the cost of generating electricity using silicon solar modules is typically 10 times higher than that from fossil fuel. Plastic solar panel technology will addresses the cost issue, predicts Solarmer.

We also recently reported here on a new development by Teijin in which that company announced it has successfully sintered silicon onto plastic film substrates at temperatures of less than 200°C. The technology could help thermoplastics find their way into applications such as solar cells and thin film transistors for liquid crystal displays, which are currently dominated by glass or silicone. —Matt Defosse