Saturday, September 27, 2008

PAPER THIN SOLAR CELL

Konarka’s patented PowerPlastic® is a thin, lightweight, and very flexible material that will serve as an integrated low-cost source of power for portable devices, on and off-grid systems, and for structures. Konarka has developed proprietary semi-conductor organic polymers that exhibit:

  1. low cost,
  2. abundant supply, and
  3. low toxicity

PowerPlastic® has distinct advantages relative to conventional PV technology.

Low Light Performance Higher efficiencies at moderate and low light levels.
Flexibility Can be flexed to a 2-in diameter, making it more conformable for product integration.
Broader Spectrum The combination of polymers is able to absorb a broader portion of the light spectrum.
Positive Thermal Co-efficient Cell efficiency increases with temperature, whereas rising temperatures degrade the performance of other technologies.
Abundant Material Supply The raw materials are not limited by the availability of silicon.

Beyond these key differentiators, its potential for further unique attributes, such as transparency and the ability to print camouflage and other patterns, have attracted the attention, imagination, and investment of several branches of the US military, the National Science Foundation, DARPA, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, Fortune 100 companies, and leading venture capital firms.