Solar glitter project moves into demo phase

Sara Ver-Bruggen - 05 Oct 2011

Sandia National Laboratories in the US is developing a novel, cost-effective photovoltaic (PV) technology for utility-scale solar power.

The project to develop microsystems-enabled (ME)PV cells, dubbed 'glitter cells' because of their small size, has earned Sandia a technology transfer award from the US government, to begin developing the technology for commercial use.

The project found a way to use microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) techniques to produce working solar cells from micro-sized particles of crystalline silicon, a material used in over 80% of PV modules installed worldwide. The tiny particles allow for much less raw material to be used and have the potential to produce PV at lower cost and in lightweight, flexible formats.

Partners

To help develop its MEPV cell technology, Sandia has been working with several commercial partners, including Universal Instruments, a designer and manufacturer of automation and assembly equipment for electronics manufacturing.

Other partners include electronics packaging firm Endicott Interconnect; Emcore, which develops fibre optic and solar systems, for applications including space and satellites; the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and the University of South Florida.

Deposition Sciences, a supplier of highly durable thin-film optical coatings, will also be joining the project before the end of 2011.

Power

The project will apply commercial manufacturing techniques used by the partners to the MEPV cells, and develop an efficient and cost-effective process for their production. Work will include reducing the amount of the material that is used to produce the cells, so that can be reduced to thicknesses of around 2µ.

Part of the project is to build a 30cm x 30cm demonstrator of the MEPV module.

A solar power system using single-junction cells, based on the MEPV technology, can achieve a power conversion efficiency of up to 20% and compete with the price US consumers pay for electricity from the grid.

There is scope to improve the technology further, increasing efficiencies by up to 40%. Options include using multi-junction cells and managing the cells' thermal output to enhance performance.

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