Two new silicon moduling technologies are getting airtime at the Intersolar Europe conference, the biggest solar show on earth http://www.intersolar.de .
Both moduling technologies slice the standard cell into long thin elements then use low level concentration of light onto the elements, raising electricity production and possibly enhancing it further by using light hitting the back of the cell as well. Smart selection of grazing angles and increased edge/volume ratios also work to keep the long, thin, separated cells cooler and therefore more efficient than larger block mounted cells.
Transform Technologies http://www.transformsolar.com , a joint Australian (Origin Energy) and US semiconductor fabricator (Micron) are launching the Sliver cell in which a 'standard' silicon cell disk is chemically sliced into 40micron slivers each of which constitutes its own, bifacial cell. These cells are more shade tolerant than standard modules.
Prism Solar http://www.prismsolar.com cuts and joins standard cells into strips about 2cm wide spaced the same distance apart and uses holographic interference pattern lenses to focus light onto the strips - a concentrating cell that doesn't need mechanical tracking.
Sliver cells promise to cut silicon use to 40-10% of current grams/watt, Prism reduces silicon use to about 25% of current g/watt.
Now if modules retail in Australia at about $4/Wp, and the cells in them cost about $1.50/Wp (PVInsights.com) reducing silicon use to 40% could reduce panel cost by 90c/Wp to about $3/Wp, reduce to 25% would cut to about $2.90/Wp and reducting silicon use to 10% would cut to about $2.50/Wp (loose figures given that silicon needs processing to make cells which need processing to make modules).
The next REALLY BIG reduction in installed cost after this is going to be distributor and installer labour charges and profit.
Will CBD, SOO, AIR, AFT look so good if profit per panel halves?
CBD Price at posting:
12.0¢ Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
