The word on cutting the cost of solar energy capture: thin is in
Making solar energy affordable
Dreading the next power bill? Why not install some solar panels? Cost prohibitive you say? Maybe not for long if some researchers from IBM and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co. achieve their goal of providing technology that makes possible solar cell systems that are 100 times thinner than silicon-wafer cells.
That could just change the cost-benefit equation in our favor – and put the initials CIGS into our energy vocabulary.
Current solar cell systems rely largely on silicon for converting sunshine to energy and are less efficient and more expensive than traditional energy sources. IBM and TOK will focus on making CIGS (Copper-Indium-Gallium-Selenide) solar cell modules an alternative to silicon.
Thin-film CIGS solar cells can be deposited on cheap glass substrates, which helps drive down costs. By placing these ultra-thin cells on a flexible backing, they could be placed on the tops and sides of buildings, tinted windows and other surfaces.
"Our goal is to develop more efficient photovoltaic structures that would reduce the cost, minimize the complexity, and improve the flexibility of producing solar electric power," said Dr. Tze-Chiang Chen, IBM Vice President of Science and Technology, IBM Research. "Now, IBM's advanced technology combined with TOK's expertise in equipment design and manufacture, have the potential to broaden the use of alternative energy sources."
IBM Research has developed new, non-vacuum, solution-based manufacturing processes for CIGS solar cells and is targeting efficiencies around 15% and higher. Current thin film product efficiencies vary from around 6% to less than 12%. Combining IBM's technology with the proven coating technique and high purity chemicals from TOK has the potential to bring the large scale production of thin-film solar cells to market.
TOK is an established supplier of photoresists for semiconductors, flat panel displays, printed wiring boards, and packaging. The company also supplies other photolithography materials, processing equipment for semiconductor and LCD manufacturing, printing materials and inorganic/organic high purity chemicals.
The race for affordable solar energy is heating up.
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