The
Konarka solar cell is a lightweight, flexible, cost-effective
photovoltaic (PV) cell that efficiently generates electricity from
sunlight or indoor room light. These cells are based on
dye-sensitized titania nanoparticles which are coated on a flexible
substrate at high speed in a continuous coating, laminating process.
The overall cell efficiency is raised beyond the current seven
percent level to ten percent or higher. These solar cells are lighter
weight and more flexible compared to competitive offerings that use
amorphous silicon and copper indium gallium sulfide (CIGS) and have
excellent stability. The products are particularly suited for
portable electronics being flexible, lightweight and low cost due to
the materials used, and the high speed roll-to-roll printing, coating
and laminating and assembly process that is used.
Solar
energy has tremendous potential as an alternate energy source to
lessen dependence on foreign oil. However, it has been limited by the
inability of its key manufacturers to achieve meaningful
breakthroughs in form factor, efficiency and cost. Konarka's unique
plastic technology already represents a breakthrough in form factor.
Through their National Science Foundation project, Konarka has been
focused on surmounting efficiency and cost barriers, with the
objective of making PV technology broadly accessible and affordable.
Sales to date include purchase of modules and devices for testing by
the U.S. Army and Air Force. A manufacturing scale-up partnership has
already been formalized to enable efficient commercialization of the
PV technology. The initial markets to be targeted are in battery
charging, followed by consumer products (lighting, sensors, and
communications, computing), building-integrated PV, and eventually
embedded PV where PV is integrated into both indoor and outdoor
surfaces.
