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Plastic catches sunlight
:: 06 July, 2007
Without silicon goes little in the solar industry. The semiconductor is used into over 90 per cent of the collectors, in order to transform solar power into river. In view of high costs with the production of usual solar cells the industry increases the speed with the search for alternatives. Now a research alliance wants to help a new generation from solar cells to the break-through.
The federal Ministry of Research undertakes the recent approach together with four enterprises. It invests 60 Mill. euro into a technology initiative for the study of the organic Photovoltaic. The chemistry specialists BASF and Merck, the KFZ and industrial technique company Bosch as well as the Mainzer glass manufacturer bulkhead contribute together 300 Mill. euro.
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The goal: Instead of silicon are small molecules so mentioned - simple coloring material pigments - when semiconductors are used.
A project with future: "Organic solar cells have a large charm “, say Andreas Gombert, department manager Materialforschung and applied optics with the institute for Fraunhofer for solar energy systems in Freiburg. "You offer the possibility of lowering production costs strongly. “However it „still some years will be lasted, in industrial yardstick be manufactured can “says Richard Harnisch, speaker of the Federal association solar economy. At present a low efficiency as well as a short life span of the organic solar cells prevent the practical application.
The Fraunhofer researchers reached so far only one efficiency of straight four per cent. With them polymers are used contrary to the new initiative of the Ministry of Research: organic semiconductors on carbon basis.
US American company Konarka nevertheless created with the polymer technology an efficiency of 5,28 per cent. Conventional silicon models reach against it already scarcely 20 per cent. With the solid investments the new solar alliance wants to create now the break-through. "Organic Photovoltaic becomes for us a strategic emphasis “, announces BASF executive committee Stefan Marcinowski. Until 2015 an efficiency by ten per cent one aim at, besides one life span of at least 20 years.
Thus a market success could succeed, says Gombert: „With these values the cells would be competitive in relation to past applications. “ Main field of application should be on a long-term basis the building industry. The cells could be used on roofs, windows or fronts.
Advantage of the organic solar cells: They are flexible and not thicker according to BASF than a transparent cover - and could stick also on auto roofs. Or as battery chargers for mobile telephones serve - a variant, which considers also Fraunhofer researcher Gombert meaningful.
Release link: http://www.konarka.com/
Tags: mobile telephones , semiconductor , solar power , solar cells , organic Photovoltaic , glass manufacturer , silicon , ,
