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February 23, 2008
New Solar Panel Technology Stylish and Sustainable
The new cell technology combines nanoparticles and organic dyes that can be
produced in any number of colors
and designs.
The key component of the new modules is an organic dye which in combination
with nanoparticles converts sunlight into electricity. Due to the small size of
the nanoparticles, the modules are semi-transparent. This aspect makes them well
suited for façade integration. The new solar
cells
are being developed by members of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy
Systems ISE, who will be presenting their new technology in Tokyo at Nanotech
2008, the world’s largest trade fair for nanotechnology.
The solar module prototype is amber in color. It is possible, however, to
produce the modules in other colors, or even to print images or text on the
module so that it serves as a decorative element. These design options open up
an entirely new range of possible applications.
Instead of mounting the solar module on the roof of a building, the electricity
producer could be integrated into windows. Used in this way, the new technology
not only prohibits direct sunlight from entering the building interior but also
generates electricity at the same time.
“We don’t see the dye solar cell as being a rival to the conventional silicon
cell,” says Fraunhofer ISE physicist Andreas Hinsch. The module prototypes only
achieve an efficiency of four percent, which is not sufficient for rooftop
applications in comparison to the performance of crystalline silicon solar
cells. On the other hand, dye solar cells have a clear advantage when it comes
to façade integration.
The wafer-thin electricity-generating film, which lies between two glass
panes, is produced from nanoparticles and applied using screen printing
technique. This technique makes it possible to integrate any desired image on
the module. A glass facade made of this material can be given a decorative and
promotionally effective design, such as a colorful company logo, and delivers
electricity into the bargain.
The dye solar module is still a prototype. The Fraunhofer researchers have
developed it together with industry partners in the ColorSol project funded by
the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF.
One particular challenge posed by the new technology is that the narrow gap
between the two glass panes must be hermetically sealed so that no air can get
in and destroy the reactive substances inside. The Fraunhofer experts have come
up with a special solution to this problem. Instead of using polymeric glue like
their competitors, they have decided to work with glass frit. To this end, glass
powder is screen-printed onto the panes, and fuses with them at a temperature of
around 600 degrees Celcius.
Fatigue tests under various weather
conditions
have shown that the solar cells still function properly even after several
thousand hours. The long-term stability as such, however, has yet to be
officially certified.