Solarmer, a start-up developing OPVs in the US, is building an on-site production line and short press runs will start in early Q1 2010.
Over the last six months, Solarmer has been busy building its new facility that will provide customers with first-hand demonstrations of its roll-to-roll production process.
Vishal Shrotriya, VP of business development at Solarmer, says: 'We are now identifying the right coating techniques to encapsulate the solar cells and we are also fine tuning the process for laying polymer layers at high [commercial] speeds so the system could eventually be used for mass production.'
The company has just received full certification from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the performance of its improved solar cell. Shrotriya says: 'We can confirm a 6.77% efficiency measurement for our OPV. We are confident this can be higher as our own internal testing systems state we can reach 7.5% in lab conditions.'
'We need to identify the right coating techniques to encapsulate the solar cells and we are also fine tuning the process for laying polymer layers at high (commercial) speeds so the system could eventually be used for mass production,' he adds.
Shrotriya says the lab-based cells will be sent to NREL in Q4, but certification takes at least 6-8 weeks.
Solarmer hopes to supply a range of consumer electronics companies with its flexible OPV in 2010 and is in discussion with several brand owners that are primarily based in the US.
He adds: 'There has been a tremendous amount of interest from global cell phone manufacturers and companies designing building-integrated applications, but it's likely our cells will be first used in low-power applications for portable electronics goods.'
The company is also working on large-area modules. 'We have developed a 6in x 6in large-area cell in the lab but driving up efficiency is harder because there is more surface area for problems to occur.'