THINFILM
Newcomers in the thin-film sector do not have much time
to present their products for series production. This is because their
competitors from the crystalline sector are also spending great
efforts on developing new technologies
maximum output from a limited surface. Also, and turn their ideas into capacities. Their plants just
because of their flexibility and low weight, thin-film brought out 800 MW in 2008, of which 500 MW
modules may be more easily integrated into the alone came from the lines of first Solar. According
walls or roofs of a building when compared to to information provided by EPIA, conventional
electricity-generating windows or façades. Thus photovoltaics cell manufacturers produced seven
they do not only improve the energy balance of a times as much.
building but they also make for more creative
freedom of architects and planners. Trade fairs, such as solarpeq and glasstec 2010,
will be pointers to the way developments will go,
Numerous creative solutions for building-integrated because there hardly is any other sector
photovoltaics were already on demonstration at the depending to such a degree on the influence of
latest glasstec trade fair held in Düsseldorf in 2008. innovations to revolutionise manufacturing
CIS, CdTe and similar products will emerge to be technologies by reducing cost. Thin-film cells for
35
more than niche products once their American roofs: In
manufacturers live up to their announcements and Thin-film technologies have the potential to score California, before all,
www
drastically reduce manufacturing cost within very similarly high efficiencies as crystalline silicon solar power stations
.solar
short time frames. When their slim electricity modules. To bring this about, silicon panels will are being put up
generators then close the gap separating them have to be offered at such favourable prices in the everywhere.
-pv-management.com
from efficiency rates scored by the crystalline long term as their slim-line competitors. But thin- 2-MW First Solar
competition, they might even take over as the film modules are still lagging behind crystalline modules being
leading solar energy technology. In theory, technologies. Efficiency is considerably lower and installed on a roof
therefore, thin-film cells may bring about much, but only CdTe modules have gained a clear advantage in Fontana.
companies manufacturing them will first have to on cost so far. (Source: First Solar)
Issue V 2009
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