Europe pushes manufacture of printed power devices

Dan Rogers - 07 May 2010

A demonstrator of technology for roll-to-roll manufactured organic solar cells and flexible batteries, produced as part of a European project that will be completed this year, was presented at the Organic Photovoltaics (OPVs) 2010 event.

Thomas Kolbusch, VP of Coatema - a German company that provides manufacturing tools for solar cells firms - revealed the device during his presentation at the event in Philadelphia, the US.

The technology is being developed as part of Facess, a €4.6 million initiative to create printed electronic devices that can be produced and integrated. The project began in 2008 and is due for completion by the end of 2010.

Posters

Facess - which has the full title Flexible autonomous cost efficient energy source and storage - aims to make materials for OPVs and batteries that can be manufactured using cheap and simple processes. The technology is targeted at use in large-area applications, such as posters, wireless keyboards and extensive sensor networks. The consortium of R&D groups and companies also includes Finnish research centre VTT.

Kolbusch discussed trends in PVs and technologies available for processing and production. He noted that Facess indicates a general European trend of progress with the development of organic electronics. Kolbusch also suggested that inkjet, roll-to-roll printing will become available for these applications later this year.

Other presentations at the event covered issues such as the efficiency and reliability of OPVs in operation; supply and demand worldwide; and what markets OPVs can enter in the future.

A review of Organic Photovoltaics 2010 and other industry events will feature in the next issue of +Plastic Electronics magazine. To subscribe in time to receive your copy, contact publications@pira-international.com or visit our subscriptions page.