Calif.-based Solarmer Energy has achieved nearly 8 percent efficiency of its plastic solar panels, certified by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Reaching the 7.9 percent mark makes it the highest conversion efficiency for a plastic organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell to date.
The aperture-area test results also mean the company has beat its own 7.6 percent cell efficiencies, certified by the Newport Technology & Applications Center’s Photovoltaic Lab in October. In 2007, researchers at Wake Forest University pushed the efficiency of plastic solar cells to more than 6 percent.
Solarmer thinks plastic solar panels will be the next generation of solar products, as it says they are flexible, transparent, and are expected to cost a fraction of the price of silicon solar panels. The 26-employee company was founded in 2006 to commercialize technology developed at University of California, Los Angeles.
The company said it uses low-cost plastic as the active materials to convert solar energy into electricity. The active plastics layer is very thin, also offering low costs. The company said it also uses low-cost printing techniques and a fabrication process that has low temperatures and is eco-friendly.
Solarmer is currently completing its pilot manufacturing line and has said its plastic solar panels are expected to be available in 2010.
– from cleantech.com