Solar Power Using An Alloy Film Better Than Silicon
Further to: "Off-The-Grid" Right Now here is some great news. Starting with following two articles - a very interesting technology to follow up on.
..."solar photovoltaic technology can be produced in any desired amount, from a few milliwatts to many megawatts, if so desired. It is not necessary to erect large power stations to serve a community with energy from this technology.
A typical middle-class suburban family needs only about 30 square metres (about the size of a living room) of solar panels to supply all of its electricity needs."..
This highly efficient Copper-Indium-Gallium-Diselenide (CIGS) alloy eclipses Silicon and should finally make solar energy possible.
Here is a collection of scientific literature from NREL on Copper Indium Diselenide (CIS):
Chris Gupta
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SA solar research eclipses rest of the world
By Willem Steenkamp
In a scientific breakthrough that has stunned the world, a team of South African scientists has developed a revolutionary new, highly efficient solar power technology that will enable homes to obtain all their electricity from the sun.
This means high electricity bills and frequent power failures could soon be a thing of the past.
The unique South African-developed solar panels will make it possible for houses to become completely self-sufficient for energy supplies.
The panels are able to generate enough energy to run stoves, geysers, lights, TVs, fridges, computers - in short all the mod-cons of the modern house.
Nothing else comes close to the effectiveness of the SA invention
The new technology should be available in South Africa within a year and through a special converter, energy can be fed directly into the wiring of existing houses. New powerful storage units will allow energy storage to meet demands even in winter. The panels are so efficient they can operate through a Cape Town winter. while direct sunlight is ideal for high-energy generation, other daytime light also generates energy via the panels.
A team of scientists led by University of Johannesburg (formerly Rand Afrikaans University) scientist Professor Vivian Alberts achieved the breakthrough after 10 years of research. The South African technology has now been patented across the world.
One of the world leaders in solar energy, German company IFE Solar Systems, has invested more than R500-million in the South African invention and is set to manufacture 500 000 of the panels before the end of the year at a new plant in Germany.
Production will start next month and the factory will run 24 hours a day, producing more than 1 000 panels a day to meet expected demand.
Another large German solar company is negotiating with the South African inventors for rights to the technology, while a South African consortium of businesses are keen to build local factories.
The new, highly efficient and cheap alloy solar panel is much more efficient than the costly old silicone solar panels.
International experts have admitted that nothing else comes close to the effectiveness of the South African invention.
The South African solar panels consist of a thin layer of a unique metal alloy that converts light into energy. The photo-responsive alloy can operate on virtually all flexible surfaces, which means it could in future find a host of other applications.
Alberts said the new panels are approximately five microns thick (a human hair is 20 microns thick) while the older silicon panels are 350 microns thick. the cost of the South African technology is a fraction of the less effective silicone solar panels.
Alberts said in Switzerland it was already compulsory for all new houses to include solar technology to lessen energy demands on national grids.
"And that was the older, less effective technology. With our hours of sunlight, we will on average generate twice as much energy than, for instance, European countries."
While South African scientists developed and patented the new, super-effective alloy solar panels, other companies have developed new, super-efficient storage batteries and special converters to change the energy into the power source of a particular country (220 volts in South Africa).
Eskom spokesperson Carin de Villiers said any new power supply that lessened the load on Eskom was to be welcomed.
She said Eskom was also doing its own research on solar energy.
"In fact, we are currently investigating building what will probably be the largest solar power plant, in the Northern Cape - a 100-megawatt facility."
She added that Eskom was also researching wind and fuel-cell technology as alternative energy sources.
This article was originally published on page 1 of The Saturday Argus on February 11, 2006
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Novel Invention Could Mean Cheaper Source Of Energy From Solar Power
Energy security has become one of the hottest political topics in the last few years with the prospects of skyrocketing oil prices and shortages. Along with the looming dangers of climate change, the urgency of alternatives to CO2 emitting energy sources is becoming more obvious by the day. One of the most important actions to counter these challenges is the establishment of alternative energy sources such as solar energy. Latest research by South African scientists have taken us one step further to realising these goals.
Solar power
Solar power has traditionally been differentiated into solar thermal and solar photovoltaic (or PV for short) systems. The photo-voltaic effect is a phenomenon that depends on quantum physics, and allows specific materials to directly convert solar radiation to electricity. The photo-voltaic effect is used in solar panels, that have been powering spacecraft for decades and have recently been making their presence felt in supplying electricity to free-standing locations on earth, like telephone towers and pump systems on farms.
However, the panels available commercially today are almost all based on high-purity silicon as the photo-voltaic material, and these panels are much more expensive than the equivalent amount of coal, petrol or gas.
The only way to make photovoltaic energy more widely used, is to make devices (including solar panels) that are much cheaper than the current silicon-based devices. The most promising PV material identified to date is Copper-Indium-Gallium-Diselenide (CIGS).
CIGS is much more efficient than silicon at converting incident sunlight into an electric current: Less than one micron of CIGS absorbs more than 99% of available incident solar energy, compared to 350 microns of silicon to do the same job.
Despite the excitement around CIGS, significant cost savings compared to silicon were not achieved, despite 20 years of research. However, a new development has made the picture considerably brighter.
Cost-saving CIGS solar panels
Prof Vivian Alberts of the Department of Physics at the Rand Afrikaans University in South Africa and team have developed and patented a novel manufacturing technique that finally makes it possible to construct CIGS solar panels at a very low cost. The method is easily upscalable to industrial output levels, while remaining much cheaper to produce than conventional silicon solar panels.
Work done over the last two years indicates that panels can be produced in commercial volumes at a cost of about R 500 for a 50 Watt panel. This is much cheaper than existing solar panels available on the market. CIGS is a remarkably stable material and conversion efficiencies should be sustainable for 15-20 years in any given panel.
RAU physicists are currently collaborating with physicists from the University of Port Elizabeth and the University of Pretoria to make 20 Watt CIGS panels, thanks to an award by the Innovation Fund in the national Department of Science and Technology during 2003. The award, in the amount of R 13,2 million, has been used to construct a pilot assembly facility on the RAU campus (with more than R 2 million of top-up funds added by RAU management).
The two main components of the facility are a state-of-the-art sputtering instrument and a state-of-the-art diffusion oven. The former was designed by Leybold Optics of Dresden, Germany, and the latter by Wilro Technologies in the Netherlands. Both these instruments were designed according to Prof Alberts' unique and novel specifications and are, at the moment, the only examples of their kind in the world. They also constitute the best combination of instruments of this kind in the world at present.
Benefits
This patented technology has caused great excitement across a broad front of stakeholders, since it promises to bring the practical cost of applying solar photovoltaic systems for electricity production down to a level comparable to coal-fired or nuclear technologies.
Furthermore, the technology contributes nothing to carbon dioxide emissions and consumes only the resources used to manufacture the solar panels (the metals copper, indium and gallium and the non-metal selenium). These materials could in principle all be recycled into new panels at the end of the useful lifetime of a panel, since no material whatsoever is consumed. The finite lifetime (15-20 years) of a panel is simply due to deterioration of the crystal structure over time.
The energy used to make a panel is recovered within 1-2 years of operation, beyond which a further 13-18 years of net energy production remain. There is no vulnerability to disruptions in fuel supply, since sunlight is the fuel consumed.
In addition, solar photovoltaic technology can be produced in any desired amount, from a few milliwatts to many megawatts, if so desired. It is not necessary to erect large power stations to serve a community with energy from this technology.
A typical middle-class suburban family needs only about 30 square metres (about the size of a living room) of solar panels to supply all of its electricity needs.
The technology also holds great promise for socio-economic development, especially in the rural areas of Southern Africa. - RAU
More information:
The pilot production facility was officially opened by the South African national minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena, on 9 November 2004.
Sonia Cronjé: Media Relations, Division of Public Affairs, RAU. stc@rau.ac.za
Related articles:
Nigeria: Warming up to solar energy
posted by Chris Gupta on Tuesday February 21 2006
URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2006/02/21/solar_power_using_an_alloy_film_better_than_silicon.htm
Readers' Comments
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Inge Hanle on February 22, 2006 04:58 PM
state and explain how solar panel can be use for our computer system
Posted by: taiwo on February 25, 2006 07:22 AM
Weaver Cabinets
P.O. Box 2036
Knysna 6570
South Africa
27th February 2006
Sir,
Re: Researching solar agencies for Southern Cape/Knysna Region in South Africa.
I am a businessman in Knysna, RSA and am interested in becoming an agent for solar powered/ wind powered/ power saving systems for the home owner/ urban and rural application.
I can define it as the following:
Solar Power: Light as power source.
a. Photo voltaic cells and storage systems
b. Solar powered water pumps
c. Solar powered lighting systems, home and security
d. Any other related products
Solar Heaters Heat as a power source
a. Solar powered water heating systems
b. Solar powered cooking systems
c. Solar powered water purification systems
d. Any other related systems.
Wind Powered Systems Wind as a power source
a. Wind chargers to create DC Power – battery storage.
b. Wind to create power to pump water , windmill and other systems.
c. Inverters – to change D/C power to A/C (220 volts)
d. Any other related systems.
Power Saving Systems. Eg. Geyser for heating water – no storage.
a. Gas and other appliances.
b. Isolation materials to make houses more efficient , heating and cooling.
c. Passive cooling and heating systems for new h ouses eg. Moving air for better effect.
Literature on Eco-Friendly approach to living.
Methods of reducing reliance on non-sustainable commodities.
Alternatives to use of high risk materials in everyday life.
I would appreciate it if you could supply me with the above information and if your company does not cover the above, if you could forward to me names of companies that I could approach in the above connection.
Yours truly,
John Collett
Weaver Cabinets
E-mail address: margiecollett@telkomsa.net
Posted by: John Collett on February 27, 2006 01:37 PM
We are a Zimbabwean company in alternative power solutions business. We are looking for a supplier for solar panels that will make it possible for urban and rural houses to become completely self-sufficient for energy supplies.
The solar panels should be able to generate enough energy to run stoves, geysers, lights, TVs, fridges, computers - in short all the mod-cons of the modern house.
Posted by: Workman on March 1, 2006 05:02 AM
We Have everything you need. See our website
Posted by: K G Electric on March 13, 2006 07:39 AM
love everything you are printing about pv===keep up good work
Posted by: l.g.lanthorn on March 21, 2006 11:53 PM
I am interested to know more about the alloy solar panels, and to know when they will be available.
Posted by: Maureen on April 8, 2006 01:03 AM
I would like to know when I will be able to purchase the new solar technology. My partner and I are also looking at building a concrete dome home. We are aiming at self sufficiency as soon as possible. Thanks
Posted by: Ashtaraya on April 12, 2006 12:32 PM
Indium and Gallium are rare earth elements and are only available in very small quantities in very remote places in very low densities. Indium in particular.
This means that even if this improvement in CIGS manufacturing is accomplished all the way to the consumer product level there will still be materials cost issues and materials supply bottleneck issues. Not to mention the non-clean, non-green aspects of strip mining for Indium.
Posted by: Baby Peanut on April 30, 2006 09:45 AM
hello i am a worker who is planning to open a small buisness and i am interested in solar energy so i am very interested in selling any products you manufacture or sell in the solar energy field
thanks godwin smith
Posted by: godwin smith on May 6, 2006 10:46 PM
Am looking for solar panels to resell in Zimbabwe.We are experiencing problems with electricity in this coutry so i have decided to start a small business in solar panels.
Thank you
Posted by: Rachel Sibusisiwe Buzuzi on May 10, 2006 08:38 AM
We are interested to sell your solar panels here in Australia when you are ready. Great timeing now that the price of oil is thru the roof. These panels will be great to power cars.
Rgds
AK
Posted by: Allan KINGSTON on May 12, 2006 08:16 AM
I am interested to start a bussness selling solar systems in the Overberg area. Where can I get the relevant information from in South Africa?
Posted by: B Jde Lange on May 16, 2006 05:11 AM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Dirk van der Walt on May 18, 2006 11:07 AM
when you are ready we have a huge market in the USA we I reside we are using hydrogen to power our cars and and so forth
Posted by: ANTON BOTHA on May 23, 2006 12:40 PM
I am interested in selling these solar panels in Canada. How do I go about it?
Posted by: Radu Bala on May 25, 2006 05:44 PM
I am interested in this advance in technology so that I can have guaranteed supply in the regular tropical cyclone season, and stop using coal fired power.
Please advise when / where these panels will be available in Australia.
Posted by: Mark Both on May 27, 2006 08:08 PM
I would like to sell these solar panels in South Florida.
Please advise.
Posted by: Jerry March on June 5, 2006 04:33 PM
OUR COMPANY SELLS SOLAR POWERED STREET LAMPS, PORTABLE AND STATIONARY SOLAR POWERED WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEMS, AND MUCH MORE. PLEASE CONTACT MYSELF OR SAM AT SALES@PQI.CA
Posted by: ANGELA DESALVO on June 9, 2006 12:33 PM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Ms. Bonnie on June 11, 2006 03:59 PM
It is working now;
http://www.kgelectric.co.za/">http://www.kgelectric.co.za/">http://www.kgelectric.co.za/
Posted by: Chris Gupta on June 11, 2006 10:10 PM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: levi on June 15, 2006 07:14 PM
there is with a bit of ingenuity power cables conductors that can carry huge amounts of electricity on a micro scale and macro scale hydrogen cooled supper conductor lines,and cars capable of high speeds with electricty why cant we change to these with inovation now with this technology,and others im sure hydrogen can be made with these panels effiently,and or other methods.with safe alternatives,micro macro, none military solutions with taking on a military scale, domestric solutions i want to sign up to receiving this technology when available so i can contribute to governmental rulings.
Posted by: alan ward on August 10, 2006 08:06 PM
I am having severe left leg
pain(limping) often passing on to
lower leg and feet and again
reverting back later. I have
decided to discontinue
Atorvastatin and replace it
with Herbal Shuddaguggulu.
Will report the effect after
one month. Presently BP has
gone up 160/105 and am under-going Electrical massaging
with not much relief.
Posted by: Rebecca Garr on August 24, 2006 11:10 AM
Perdon era Pregunta que si los bulb de 120 w son de los que se usan en Mexico normalmente en casa o de que tipo son?
Posted by: Hristo on August 24, 2006 04:38 PM
Really like the new idea, would love to learn more and be interested in selling the system in Florida
Posted by: John Gibbons on September 15, 2006 03:10 PM
Looking for wholesale solar electronics devices for retail store.
Posted by: larry on September 30, 2006 09:08 AM
I am intersting to know more about this new alloy soler panel. Please let me know when they will be availeble and where I can purches.
Thank you,
Ahmed Doal in Buhodle,Somalia
Posted by: Ahmed M. Dolal on October 2, 2006 05:13 PM
like to know and promote this product in jordan throgh our group of copmanies
Posted by: M ALI KILNI on October 2, 2006 06:39 PM
I am very interested in marketing and installing this new solar technology in the USA.The world needs to get off fossil fuels as soon as possible,so we can stop destroying the earth and killing ourselfs from the pollution these fuels create
Posted by: John Condra on October 8, 2006 10:10 PM
please send me more information.
Posted by: johnny montez on October 31, 2006 10:38 PM
I would like an e-mail or phone number to contact the manufacture in Germany, please
Posted by: John A. Mc Donald on November 18, 2006 08:17 PM
Hell,i am from Cameroon.I come from a village with no access to electricity and for me going to have some time with my parents for three weeks or a month without electricity makes life a hell for me.I am looking for a cheaper means of having electricity supply to my home so i can have access to watching TV,listening to the radio and charging my phone and using my laptop.And i have been thinking of a Solar panel energy system.Please i would like you to advice me of what kind of solar panel to buy and what mark and make.
Thanks and hope to hear from you soonest.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
Posted by: Tayong George on January 3, 2007 04:01 AM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: don connolly on January 19, 2007 03:58 PM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Richard E. Hall on January 20, 2007 12:52 AM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Denzil Young on January 22, 2007 02:14 AM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: JERRY MARCH on April 12, 2007 03:32 PM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Bob McRae on May 9, 2007 10:13 PM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Muhammad Farooq on July 5, 2007 11:25 AM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: T M Townsend on July 15, 2007 03:12 PM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: Mr John Smith on August 31, 2007 03:36 PM
Hi
This is great.Where can I get this South African developed pv? Tanzanians will benefit a lot from this technological breakthrough esp the rural areas without national electicity grid. How do I access these panels because this is indeed what is required in the rural areas and sounds affordable to the small farmer.Looking forward to getting someone to direct me to the right souce.
Brgds
Komba E J
Posted by: E J KOMBA on October 12, 2007 09:34 AM
Hi
How do I get more information? I am interested in selling these panels to the Latin American market.
Many thanks
Posted by: C Jamison on January 13, 2008 02:56 PM
I'am interested in marketing and installing this new solar technology in the Gauteng SA area.
Please supply me with the relevant information
Posted by: callie on February 3, 2008 07:03 AM
Hi I am interestad in starting a business to instal solar systems in private homes.Can you give me more information on how to start such a business and if it is at this stage possible to use the new cigs solar panels and where to order it?
Thanks
Posted by: Gerhard Kruger on April 1, 2008 05:33 AM
Please send news of further developments for this product. I am interested to buy this panels for innovative products. Please send prices as soon as available and where to get it.thanks ed capulong Philippines
Posted by: edgar capulong on September 17, 2008 08:04 AM
The main problem is that so many of the solar manufacturers have signed massive long term contracts for silicon that would be too expensive to cancel. It is exciting though that we are beginning to find better ideas to make panels cheaper. Great article!
Posted by: Brendan Wenzel on July 24, 2009 06:58 PM
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