Solar Cells printed on a Inkjet ?
Solar Cells printed on a Inkjet ?
Solar Energy from new manufacturing techniques promises to lower the high cost of producing and adopting this clean renewable energy. With the high prices for oil these days, there has been a rampant adoption and increase in demand for solar panels in recent years. The increase in solar panels adoption is been made using the same technology that has made it almost untouchable because of its high startup costs. But that could change in a near future, with the creation of very promising new manufacturing process. This year could be the year that the Silicon Valley renaissance is made, but not from super fast number processing computer chips but from solar power modules.
Thin-Film solar coating, that what are many are saying will change dramatically how this technology can be converted into an affordable one. Startup company from San Jose, California, NANOSOLAR is promising just that, by a process of coating thin materials that convert sunshine into electricity. Also a Massachusetts, based company, Konarka Technologies, has developed a novel successful way to use an inkjet printer to manufacture solar cells. This decreases production cost, because the process is using an existing technology that is affordable.
Konarka Technologies, says that by 2009 its plan to bring multiple forms of products to market using the cheaper process.
