Oct 25 2010
Solar Frontier, a Japan-based developer, announced that it has inked an agreement with IBM to manufacture thin-film solar cells. IBM has originally developed the thin-film solar cells.
In 2009, researchers at IBM enhanced the efficacy of solar cells that were made from a mixture of copper, zinc, tin, sulfur and selenium (CZTS). The researchers reached an efficacy mark of 9.6% in the laboratory. Thin-film solar cells, although less efficient than silicon, are likely to be cost-efficient because fewer material is required.
Solar cells manufactured using other thin-film materials have displayed improved efficiency in laboratories. But using CZTS to develop solar cells will be beneficial, because they are manufactured from abundant elements. For instance, various firms are developing solar cells with a mix of copper, indium, gallium, and selenium, but few people have concerns regarding the cost and supply of indium.
Solar Frontier has been developing thin-film solar cells from sulfur, gallium, selenium, indium, and copper. By signing the agreement, the company will look forward to extend on the research done on CZTS by IBM.
The Chief Technology Officer of Solar Frontier, Satoru Kuriyagawa stated that the company is interested on researching CZTS, because of its compatibility with the CIS thin film technology.
Source: http://www.solar-frontier.com/