Printed Flexible Solar Cells Provide Embedded Renewable Power

Thursday, May 01 2008 The next breakthrough in renewable power will come from producing Power Plastic material and making it competitive with traditional solar material, while continually improving performance.

NTB: Last year, Konarka was awarded funding from both the National Institute of Standards & Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy to research and develop photovoltaic cells and flexible solar modules for windows and other applications. How have these projects progressed, and how has this research contributed to the DOE’s goal of bringing down the cost of solar energy by 2015?

Dr. Russ Gaudiana, VP of Research: Making modules in a continuous roll-toroll process using well-known, highspeed coating and printing processes will lower solar energy costs significantly, relative to the current and anticipated competitive technologies. Support from these government agencies centers on development of advanced components and their application in processes that will lead to low-cost manufacturing of solar panels, windows, and portable battery chargers for laptops and handheld devices such as cameras and cell phones.

NTB: Earlier this year, you demonstrated the first inkjet printing of solar cells. What led to this breakthrough, and what are the far-reaching benefits? How will such a capability affect the cost, proliferation, and application of solar cells?

Dr. Brabec: Inkjet printing is an ideal tool for smaller-area, customized solar cells on various substrates with various patterns, as are typically required for indoor or portable applications. To do this, we had to understand the structure/ property relationship. That is, we had to understand how to treat it in order to give us the right properties of polymers. Once we learned that, we were able to formulate that particular type of printing and coating technology.

The energy required to produce our solar cells is negligible compared to what silicon providers need to do. Because of the low capital costs, energy use, and material costs, the overall production is less expensive. Additionally, when companies use a deposition technique, like many do, they are throwing material in the air and may lose some. However, in a direct print model, it’s more effective. Our waste and capital costs are minimal compared to traditional solar cells.

For more information on Konarka’s flexible solar cells, click here.