Thin films on the brink of making solar more competitive

Filed under: solar on April 8th, 2008 12:52
tagged: embedded solar, thin film
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Fortune Small Business has a great article on thin film solar technology, which it describes as being “on the brink of making solar more competitive.”

The article gives an introduction to the technology behind thin film solar systems…and the companies pursuing it.  Companies mentioned include HelioVolt, Miasole, Konarka, and Nanosolar.

Solar panels struggle to compete with traditional energy sources, largely because of limitations in the design and manufacturing of tradational panels:

“To see the promise of the new thin-film technology, it’s useful to know why traditional solar is so expensive. The main reason is that standard PV panels must be made of costly silicon in air-tight clean rooms and then encased in heavy glass and steel frames for mounting on a roof. The casing and installation alone can account for half the total cost of a solar system. Japan’s Sharp (SRP.F) as well as First Solar (FSLR) in Phoenix now makes PV systems, in which a thin layer of semiconductor material is deposited on a glass panel, which eliminates the need for bulky rooftop mounting systems. Yet these promising panels, which can be fashioned into roof shingles, still can’t compete in price with fossil fuels.”

Thin films avoid the bulk and expense associated with traditional panels by eliminating the silicon in favor of thin layers:

“Nanosolar and others think they have a better idea. Why not instead make PV systems on thin layers of film or foil? Imagine skyscrapers wrapped in flexible strips of thin-film solar that can generate electricity for lighting. Or picture a layer of thin film on the roof of your car that can help run the GPS system and air conditioning.”

Will thin films provide the nudge that finally makes solar competitive with traditional energy sources?  There certainly are some challenges (the article notes questions regarding the degradation and ruggedness of thin films as primary concerns), but many believe that the future is thin.

Want to learn more about thin film solar?  Check out the Rote Jahne, the world’s largest thin film solar panel installation (and fifth largest photovoltaic installation of any kind).  It’s home to 90,000 First Solar thin film panels.