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new applications such as integration with building materials cost effective and viable,” said Enrico Faedo GM of CMD Italy. “Partnering with CIGS technology veterans like Global Solar was a natural fit to help us reach our goal to complete the largest CIGS PV rooftop system.”
Verified by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Global Solar is the first company to exceed the 13% efficiency target using CIGS thin-films on a flexible stainless steel substrate. Global Solar have used their CIGS technology to power portable solar chargers, traditional glass modules and next generation building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products.
“The recently completed rooftop system in Italy is a milestone for the CIGS market as much as it is for Global Solar,” remarked Dr. Jeff Britt, CEO of Global Solar. “Given that Global Solar is producing CIGS solar cells with efficiency well above 11% we recognize that the Yokhon Energía and CDM Italy system is merely the first in a new chapter of solar technology adoption. We look forward to working with these organizations as Global Solar’s technology in both glass modules and BIPV continues to be applied in systems around the world.”
Vanguard Solar to be acquired by Natcore
The acquisition will Expand Natcore’s development of thin-film solar cells and Carbon Nanotube (CNT) based Sensors with Vanguard’s II-VI compound semiconductor thin films on CNT
Natcore Technology announces that it has executed a formal share purchase agreement with all of the security holders of Vanguard Solar. Closing of the acquisition of Vanguard Solar is expected to occur shortly, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
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www.compoundsemiconductor.net June 2010
Vanguard has been focused on the development of a flexible, thin-film photovoltaic material capable of silicon solar cell-like efficiency performance potentially at one-tenth the manufacturing cost and one-twentieth the capital investment.
Vanguard has employed a proprietary chemical bath process similar to Natcore’s liquid phase deposition (LPD) technology, although Vanguard has grown II-VI compound semiconductor thin films on carbon nanotubes (CNT) at room temperature and ambient pressure, while Natcore has thus far concentrated on growing silicon dioxide films on silicon substrates.
The first-generation products from Vanguard’s method could produce 15%-16% efficiencies at module costs of 60 cents to 70 cents per watt. It is anticipated that second-generation technology could achieve 20% efficiencies at even lower costs per watt. The investment for production facilities is projected as low as $10 million to $15 million per 100-megawatt to 150-megawatt production capability, as compared with current costs of as much as $250 million for standard solar-cell production facilities.
Vanguard’s production equipment would be designed for insertion into existing roll-to- roll film-coating lines of the sort that have been displaced by the emergence of digital photography. All production materials are widely available and dramatically cheaper than silicon and other thin-film systems. If successfully developed, the process would enable a very cost-efficient production capability in large- scale facilities.
Vanguard has achieved proof-of-concept in small area devices and is ready to move to a validation stage, during which the company will demonstrate larger-area working devices at the targeted efficiencies expressed above.
Vanguard has two pending patents covering its solar cell development, as well as a broad
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