Research Groups Separately Announce 17.6 Percent Efficiency Records for CIGS-on-Polymer Film and CIGS-on-Aluminum Film
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 13, 2010...Several copper indium gallium diselenide solar developers have announced recent records for their respective technologies. Two virtually identical efficiency records were announced for polymer film (plastic) and aluminum foil. A new record efficiency of 17.6% for CIGS on polymer film has reportedly been achieved by the scientists at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science and Technology (EMPA). The conversion efficiency record was independently certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Freiburg, Germany.
Virtually simultaneously, Fujifilm reported17.6 percent efficiency for its CIGS on aluminum flexible thin-film solar cells. Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) confirmed the result.
Both records were apparently on very small pieces of thin-film CIGS. The Fujifilm record was on a module with an aperture of 0.486cm2.
The Swiss laboratory did not reveal the aperture size in its press release, but It is apparently similarly small.
The research group at EMPA worked in close collaboration with FLISOM Company, to the resulting 17.6% efficiency solar cell which is an independently certified highest efficiency record for any type of flexible solar cell on polymer film reported thus far.
The researchers reportedly had to create a thermally stable polymer.
According to an article in Tech-On English, Fujifilm used anodic oxidation coating to form an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer on an aluminum foil to make a substrate that has the heat resistance of a metal foil and the insulating property of a resin film.
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Strategy Analytics Predicts Continued Strong Growth for GaAs Industry
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 13, 2010...Strategy Analytics reports that the gallium arsenide industry was able to escape a drop in revenue and remain flat in 2009 compared to 2008 because of a strong H2 of 2009. Revenues for the year remained at $3.7 billion.
The smartphone category of the handset market in particular boasted stronger than average annual growth in terminal volumes in 2009. Strategy Analytics predicts that with an increasing average number of GaAs power amplifiers per terminal as well as increasing switch complexity in this sector, GaAs device demand from next generation handsets will grow faster than overall industry revenue growth.
“Our analysis incorporates individual wireless, consumer, infrastructure and defense market forecasts—taking into account technology trends,” noted Asif Anwar at Strategy Analytics. “There is no question that the improving capabilities of silicon and silicon germanium technologies, as well as emerging technologies such as gallium nitride, will provide increasing competition for GaAs technologies.”
“Despite this competition, GaAs device demand will continue to see continued growth through 2014. The market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5% to be worth over $4.7 billion,” concluded Anwar.
Strategy Analytics predictions for the GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies (GaAs) market are in its newly published , “GaAs Industry Forecast 2009-2014,” September 8, 2010...Neo-Neon International Ltd. of China has ordered ten more Aixtron MOCVD systems for LED production. Neo-Neon is a decorative lighting manufacturer that specializes in flexible LED-based ‘Neon-like’ light replacement products.
Aixtron reports having received the order for ten more of its Crius 31x2-inch configuration deposition systems from Neo-Neon in the fourth quarter of of 2009. Aixtron will deliver the systems between the third and fourth quarter of 2010.
Neo-Neon indicated that the systems will be employed to produce gallium nitride (GaN)-based ultra-high brightness (UHB) blue/green LEDs.
Aixtron says its local support team will commission the new reactors at Neo-Neon's new five-story facility at the mainland China production plant in Guang Dong. Content continues for LIGHTimes SecondPage members... Miasolé Exceeds 14 Percent Efficiency With Commercial-Scale CIGS Solar Modules
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 6, 2010...MiaSolé of Santa Clara, California USA, a maker of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic solar panels announced an indepedently confirmed 14.3 percent efficiency for its 1 square meter modules.
According to Miasole, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory confirmed the results.
Miasole says that 14.3 percent module efficiency is the highest independently confirmed efficiency for any commercial scale CIGS module technology.
“We are pleased that we continue to make progress in the execution of our technology, cost reduction and manufacturing roadmaps,” said Dr. Joseph Laia, CEO of MiaSolé.
MiaSolé's unique manufacturing process deposits CIGS on a flexible stainless steel substrate and produces all of the layers required in a single continuous process. MiaSolé contends that it is the only thin-film solar company that uses sputtering processes every step of the way for coating the solar modules, thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost of production.
MiaSolé boasts that it now offers bank financeable solar modules with efficiency comparable to polysilicon combined with lower manufacturing costs of thin-film modules.
The company whose products are designed for utilities and Independent power producers shipped 6.5MW in the first half of this year, and will ship 22MW in 2010. The modules are designed to be used in industrial scale deployments such as large-scale rooftop and ground mount installations. Global Solar Rolls Out Flexible CIGS Module for Roofing Industry
CompoundSemi News StaffSeptember 6, 2010...Global Solar of Tucson, Arizona USA, unveiled its flexible CIGS building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) module, the PowerFlex BIPV. The company specially designed the PowerFlex BIPV modules for commercial and industrial rooftops. Global Solar claims that the modules can deliver more power per rooftop than any other solar solution. Global Solar also claims that the PowerFLEX BIPV module installed on rooftops can quickly and cost effectively start generating clean energy. The PowerFlex offers 12.6 percent aperture efficiency, The module measures 5.75m x 0.5m and has a power density of 300W. Global Solar claims that the module can produce 50 percent more energy and power than the current amorphous silicon standard.
The company notes that unlike other solar solutions it is lightweight and can be applied directly to a roofing surface, requiring no mounting hardware, no roof penetrations, and it creates no additional wind load. The PowerFlex BIPV was designed especially for roofs. The company says that it maintains the integrity and aesthetics of a building structure. Global Solar also contends that because of its large format and high power density, Global Solar’s PowerFLEX BIPV will also lower installation and balance of system (BOS) costs.
Global Solar is showcasing its PowerFLEX BIPV at the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (25th EU PVSEC) / 5th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (WCPEC-5), September 6-9 in Valencia, Spain. Our news features are reported
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