Abstract
New Technologies Emerging
Silicon photocells are seen in many places but the technology is limited.
Crystalline silicon will never give tightly rollable devices let alone
transparent ones or even low cost power generation on flexible substrates.
Fortunately there are many new alternatives. Proprietary nano-particle silicon
printing processes are developed by companies such as innovalight and Kovio
and it promises many of the photovoltaic features that conventional silicon
can never achieve. It can be printed reel to reel on stainless steel or other
high temperature substrates.
However, most of the work on the next generation of photovoltaics is directed
at printing onto low cost flexible polymer film and ultimately on common
packaging materials. The main contenders are currently:
- CIGS
- CdTe
- DSSC
- Organic Photovoltaics
Several companies, universities and research institutes are hard at work in
different development stages of these technologies with large scale plants
being built across the globe.
Report covering all aspects of the new photovoltaics
This comprehensive report gives a thorough analysis of printed and thin film
photovoltaics and batteries, with detailed profiles of 57 companies working on
the many different types of technologies.
The report covers companies, research institutes and universities that are
active in developing and commercializing thin film technologies for
photovoltaics and batteries. Photovoltaic technologies covered include CIGS,
CdTe, DSSC, a-Si and organic photovoltaics. Learn how these technologies (each
at a different stage of development and adoption) are driven forward by both
government and leading companies in the field.
The report also describes materials (both organic and inorganic) and device
structures as well as various high-speed printing technologies employed.
Forecasts are given by technology type for photovoltaics technologies and
batteries for ten years with 20 year outlook.
IDTechEx find that the market for thin film photovoltaics beyond thin film
silicon technologies will reach at least $3 billion in 2012 after a slow ramp
up and grow rapidly after that to $8 billion in 2014. The global
solar energy market is expected to reach $34 billion in 2010 and $100 billion
in 2050 and most of that latter figure is expected to be achieved by
non-silicon photovoltaics.
Along with other manufacturing techniques, printing (or printing-like)
technologies are gradually being adopted (Nanosolar, G24 Innovations in the PV
sector, Power Paper, Solicore and Thin Battery technology in the batteries
sector), as they can be considered to be some of the fastest, least expensive
and highest volume manufacturing techniques. With printed electronics becoming
more prevalent, there is an increasing need for power to supply them; printing
is amenable to a large number of different types of devices with the
possibility of integration (e.g. to provide onboard power etc.)
This report provides a comprehensive list of key companies that are active in
each of the thin film photovoltaic and battery technologies. Compiled and
analyzed by Dr Harry Zervos, technology analyst with IDTechEx, company
profiles are given along with 20 year forecasts for the growth of the market
share of these technologies. Dr Bruce Kahn, consultant and academic, gives a
thorough analysis of the science and technology behind thin film photovoltaics
and batteries, as well as a comparison of different high-speed printing
techniques.
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