Enerize Corporation of Florida Invents a Major Breakthrough in Improving Performance of Photovoltaic Module with Transparent Polymers to Replace Glass
Newly developed photovoltaic module designs using proprietary polymer protective coating materials to replace conventional glass can increase conversion efficiency by more then 20%, due to high transparency and concentration of incoming light, while providing resistance to degradation by UV and ionizing radiation, lower cost, reduced weight, and improved mechanical strength.
Coral Springs, FL – May 27, 2008. Enerize Corporation has developed a new design for photovoltaic (PV) modules using a proprietary transparent polymer material that substantially outperforms the glass conventionally used as a protective covering. The proprietary polymer material from Enerize is highly transparent, and stable under UV and ionizing radiation exposure.
Conventional glass has several disadvantages as a protective covering for photovoltaic modules. Glass is relatively heavy, brittle and reflective. Light reflected from the glass surfaces (both exterior and interior) does not reach the solar cell underneath, and glass tends to block ultraviolet light, thus reducing the energy that can be obtained from this part of the spectrum. PV modules that use glass comprise a multi-layered structure that is more expensive and complicated to manufacture as compared to the new polymer coated design.
The new highly transparent polymer material can be applied directly to the PV module surface at low temperatures, eliminating the need for the adhesives required with glass and some other polymers. This eliminates the multi-layer structure including the reflective surfaces present with glass. No glass is used with this polymer coating. The polymer can be formed as a flat smooth surface or as a “crinkle coat”. The “crinkle coat” version further enhances photon collection efficiency due to the light concentrating effect of the polymer material and its surface morphology.
In conventional designs using glass, the efficiency of the PV module can be decreased by 7% or more as compared with a PV module without a glass covering. When PV modules are coated with Enerize polymer encapsulation and protective coating materials a unique result is achieved; namely, conversion efficiency is increased as compared with the same PV module having no covering. Compared to PV modules laminated with glass, those coated with Enerize polymer coating materials exhibit an increase in efficiency of as much as 25% or more. For example, as compared to a PV module laminated with glass having an efficiency of 16.45%, a PV module with the same type of solar cells coated with Enerize polymer material has an efficiency of 21.2%.
This increased efficiency is due to several important features including better utilization of light in the shorter (UV) wavelength range of the spectrum, high transparency of the polymeric coating in the UV range compared to that of glass, and the capability to be formed with a relief or “crinkle coat” surface morphology. This surface morphology more efficiently captures photons over a wider angle of incidence. The polymer’s low reflectance as compared to glass, and the elimination of the interior surface interface, both result in reduced photon loss through reflection.
Additional advantages include reduced weight, increased resistance to degradation by UV and ionizing radiation (so-called photon degradation) and high mechanical strength. These polymer coated PV modules are stable under prolonged exposure to high and low temperatures, thermal-cycling, mechanical impact, and high relative humidity. Evaluation of the new Enerize polymer encapsulation materials has been carried out using PV modules that include up to 5 solar cells with a surface area of 72 cm2 each.
Enerize transparent polymer materials and coating technologies can be used to improve conversion efficiencies and overall performance of mono-crystalline, multi-crystalline, amorphous silicon photovoltaic and non-silicon based PV modules such as CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide).
Dr. Elena Shembel, CEO and co-founder of Enerize Corporation, commented, “We believe that these new type PV modules with polymeric materials that can both protect the active solar cell surface and concentrate incoming light represent an important advance in solar energy that can help improve the performance of photovoltaics across the board. This technology is now at the active product development stage, and Enerize Corporation stands ready with the technology and engineering support required to make these new materials available to PV module manufacturers.”
Enerize Corporation provides proprietary technology and technical know-how in solar energy with an intellectual property portfolio that includes several issued and pending patents in areas critical to the advancement of the solar energy industry.
Source: www.enerize.com May 27, 2008
Invents a Major Breakthrough in Improving Performance of Photovoltaic Module with Transparent Polymers to Replace Glass
Shi Zhengrong Said Oil Prices Could Reach 150 U.S. Dollars / Barrel
Yesterday, the reporter from the Asia Society 18th annual meeting was informed that enterprises, Suntech Power chairman and chief executive officer Shi zhengrong predicted that international oil prices this year may reach 150 U.S. dollars / barrel.
Shi zhengrong for China's solar energy industry giants. He said that with the rapid economic growth in the world, global energy consumption and energy depletion is becoming two main themes. Among them, the developed countries on behalf of the U.S. population accounts for 5% of the world, but in the energy, 25 percent of the global depletion of energy.
In addition, developing countries, including China and India, economic development very quickly in the next 20-25 years, believe that energy consumption in developed countries will be similar. Based on this rate of consumption, Shi zhengrong judgement, in the international oil price has reached 130 U.S. dollars / barrel circumstances, this year is likely to break through 150 U.S. dollars / barrel, thus to our traditional energy resources, especially oil consumption has sounded the alarm.
Source: 太阳能商情网 May. 31, 2008
Japan's ITOCHU Corporation Plans To Invest 110 Billion Yen The Development Of Solar Energy
Japan's ITOCHU Corporation plans to invest 110 billion yen (1.05 billion U.S. dollars) investment in solar energy industry in Europe. ITOCHU Corporation and Norway will cooperate in the scheme Scatec AS in the Czech Republic this year 10 billion yen investment in the construction of solar energy park. The plan will begin next month. The company also plans in 2010 in Bulgaria investment 100 billion yen to build a power generation capacity of 100 MW solar park, which is expected to become the world's largest solar energy one of the park.
Source: 国际能源网 May. 29, 2008
Apple's New Patent Analysis - iphone Will Use Solar Cells
Apple solar cell patent plans
Recently, Apple's patent for a new solar cell that its ongoing application development, If everything goes smoothly, the future of Apple's iPhone mobile phones and players, notebooks and other products will be efficient use of solar energy to power the green.
The patent called "solar cells on portable devices", the programme is to design integrated solar panels in the LCD panel. From the patent map, we can call it the popular "sandwich programme", solar battery panels and components in the circuit boards between. This design is very sophisticated, on the one hand can be very good to maintain the original linear design of the phone, the phone does not damage the appearance of the other can use the screen and a larger opening for a better battery panels receive sunlight.
Source: IT168 May. 28, 2008
Solar Is Expected To Replace Oil
View of the current international oil prices jumped, the Nikkei BP's article published recently that the future of solar energy is expected to replace oil. The report pointed out that with the 1973 oil crisis a temporary different, it has yet to be found to resolve the rising price of fossil fuels means. To solve the problem completely, probably can only rely on increased solar power, wind power, nuclear power and other alternative energy sources.
Reported that, recently, solar power generating capacity in the cost and efficiency in three areas of development far exceeded most people's imagination. First, power generation, the 2007 production of solar cell modules in accordance with the module may be the largest conversion capacity, about 3.7 GW. Four years later in 2012, is expected to reach 15 GW / year. In accordance with the average, one of the largest nuclear power plant generating capacity is only 1 GW.
The cost of solar power may also be in the near future to be resolved. Solar cells have over the past 30 years of rule of thumb is that "cumulative production doubled, reduce the cost of generating 20%." In 2006 the global total solar cell output of about 5.7 GW, power generation cost about 46 yen / kWh, taking into account the current trend of production of solar cells, if this experience is correct, then to 2011, power generation costs will now Family tariff level. This NEDO "facing the 2030 blueprint for the development of solar energy (PV 2030)" set out in the 2010 annual cost of solar power generation targets - 23 yen / kWh basically the same.
Source: 广州日报 May. 26, 2008
