This a very interesting question. I haven’t yet seen any technical paper that highlights this issue. But my understanding is that solar conversion efficiency is directly proportional to Wp (peak wattage), Isc (short circuit current) and Voc (open circuit voltage). One might certainly argue that a higher efficient cell will convert more of the absorbed energy from sunlight into electricity leaving lesser amount of energy to be converted to heat. I hope this answers your questions.

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Dear Sir

I am trying to learn more about solar cells. I know that as speed of microprocessors increases they have problems related to heat dissipation and eventually the performance degrades. Can you please tell me if solar cells would have any problems as a result of increase in conversion efficiency?

looking forward to get some useful information

Rgds

Rahul Bakshi
BU- Manager

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There are several companies that manufacture thin film solar panels. Just do a web search and you will come across atleast a dozen of them. Contacting these companies would be a starting point to find their distributors in India.

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Where do I get these ??
I want to use these in INDIA.

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Lower efficiency 1/2 of poly-Si.

Similar install costs.

Precious metal prices… Silver is collected, not consumed.

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In future any technology that produces solar cells at lowest cost/watt (selling price <$1/watt), lowest weight/watt, highest usable life (>30 years) and at high volumes (terawatts) will be the dominant technology. Considering the dynamic nature of the industry and technological development it is difficult to say with certainty which technology will replace silicon modules.

Currently all the technologies can coexist together for next 5-10 years. In the short term thin film technologies (CIGS, a-Si, CdTe) due to their low efficiencies and low cost/watt will have success in cost constrained applications such as solar farms. Whereas Crystalline Silicon technologies due to their high efficiencies and $/watt will have success in space-constrained applications (roof tops).

In the past most of the research in CIGS solar cells has been done using the slow co-evaporation process. As most of the new CIGS startups are trying newer high throughput processes they are facing several unique obstacles. These obstacles can be overcome with time and funds. You can easily identify the technical problems that these companies are facing by looking at the job postings.

Personally I am optimistic about the long term success of thin film technologies including CIGS, a-Si, micro crystalline, CdTe and dye-synthesized.

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Indeed, this is an interesting development. Your hypothesis is correct, heterojunction designs typically result in higher efficiencies. There are unique challenges related to the manufacturability and durability of heterojunction cells. Sanyo has succesfully manufactured a heterojuction configuration of a-Si and Crystalline Silicon with >20% efficiency.

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Will this result in solar cells capturing a broader band of the electromagnetic spectrum and thus more efficient cells? Price per watt? Panels under a $1/watt? When? Low degradation? Better performance at higher temperatures? What are the implications?

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Are CIGS modules going to totally replace silicon modules or will they coexist for the forseeable future? Are all of the CIGS startups having the same difficulties in the manufactruing process and if so can someone elaborate on who has what problems and who will solve these problems first.

Thanks,

John moran

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Dear Lee,

Thanks for your comment. I understand your concern and would be glad to assist you. Our team is familiar with your application and the challenges involved. Please email me your specs and needs on fsayed@indium.com

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What is the Iridium Corp doing to lower the cost of Iridium solder preforms and sheet?

$600 per 8×11” sheet is not a production quantity price and puts this tech out of reach for solar power applications which are VERY cost sensitive.

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