Thin Film Photovoltaics and Batteries

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct 27, 2009 -
http://www.chinaccm.com/4S/4S09/4S0901/news/20090716/112612.asp

Summary

Report covering all aspects of the new photovoltaics
This comprehensive report, updated and revised in March 2009 to take into account the global economic situation, gives a thorough analysis of printed and thin film photovoltaics and batteries, with 10 year forecasts to 2019. Included are detailed profiles of 48 companies working on the many different types of technologies.

The report covers companies, research institutes and universities that are active in developing and commercializing thin film technologies for photovoltaics and batteries. Photovoltaic technologies covered include CIGS, CdTe, DSSC, a-Si and organic photovoltaics. Learn how these technologies (each at a different stage of development and adoption) are driven forward by both government and leading companies in the field.

The report also describes materials (both organic and inorganic) and device structures as well as various high-speed printing technologies employed.

We find that the market for thin film inorganic photovoltaic technologies beyond crystalline silicon will reach at least $20 billion in 2014. The global solar energy market is expected to reach $34 billion in 2010 and $100 billion in 2050 and most of that latter figure is expected to be achieved by non-silicon photovoltaics.

Along with other manufacturing techniques, printing (or printing-like) technologies are gradually being adopted (Nanosolar, G24 Innovations in the PV sector, Power Paper, Solicore and Thin Battery technology in the batteries sector), as they can be considered to be some of the fastest, least expensive and highest volume manufacturing techniques. With printed electronics becoming more prevalent, there is an increasing need for power to supply them; printing is amenable to a large number of different types of devices with the possibility of integration (e.g. to provide onboard power etc.)

This report provides a comprehensive list of key companies that are active in each of the thin film photovoltaic and battery technologies. Compiled and analyzed by Dr Harry Zervos, technology analyst, company profiles are given along with 20 year forecasts for the growth of the market share of these technologies. Dr Bruce Kahn, consultant and academic, gives a thorough analysis of the science and technology behind thin film photovoltaics and batteries, as well as a comparison of different high-speed printing techniques.

New Technologies Emerging
Silicon photocells are seen in many places but the technology is limited. Crystalline silicon will never give tightly rollable devices let alone transparent ones or even low cost power generation on flexible substrates.

Fortunately there are many new alternatives. Proprietary nano-particle silicon printing processes are developed by companies such as Innovalight and Kovio and it promises many of the photovoltaic features that conventional silicon can never achieve. It can be printed reel to reel on stainless steel or other high temperature substrates.

However, most of the work on the next generation of photovoltaics is directed at printing onto low cost flexible polymer film and ultimately on common packaging materials. The main contenders are currently:
CIGS
CdTe
DSSC
Organic Photovoltaics

Several companies, universities and research institutes are hard at work in different development stages of these technologies with large scale plants being built across the globe.



Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE
3. BATTERIES
3.1. Introduction
3.2. History
3.3. Structure
3.4. Key Products in Printed Batteries Industry
3.5. Principles and Operation
3.6. Supercapacitors supplement or rival batteries?
3.7. Thin Film Batteries-key companies
3.7.1. Power Paper
3.7.2. Thin Battery Technologies Inc.
3.7.3. Enfucell
3.7.4. Cymbet Corporation
3.7.5. Solicore
3.7.6. Infinite Power Solutions (IPS)
3.7.7. Excellatron
4. PHOTOVOLTAICS
4.1. Introduction
4.2. History
5. COMPANY PROFILES BY TECHNOLOGY
5.1. Principles and operations
5.2. Amorphous/nanoparticle Si
5.2.1. Introduction-Brief Description of technology
5.3. Amorphous /nanoparticle Si-Key Companies
5.3.1. Sharp
5.3.2. United Solar Ovonics
5.3.3. Mitsubishi Heavy industries
5.3.4. Kaneka
5.3.5. Q-cells (SONTOR and VHF-Technologies SA)
5.3.6. Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.
5.3.7. ersol Solar Energy AG
5.3.8. Innovalight
5.4. CdTe
5.4.1. Introduction-Brief Description of technology
5.5. CdTe Key Companies
5.5.1. First Solar
5.5.2. Calyxo
5.5.3. AVA Solar
5.5.4. PrimeStar Solar
5.5.5. Matsushita Battery Industrial Co., Ltd.
5.6. CIGS-CIS
5.6.1. Introduction-Brief Description of technology
5.7. CIGS-Key Companies
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE
3. BATTERIES
3.1. Introduction
3.2. History
3.3. Structure
3.4. Key Products in Printed Batteries Industry
3.5. Principles and Operation
3.6. Supercapacitors supplement or rival batteries?
3.7. Thin Film Batteries-key companies
3.7.1. Power Paper
3.7.2. Blue Spark Technologies Inc.
3.7.3. Enfucell
3.7.4. Cymbet Corporation
3.7.5. Solicore
3.7.6. Infinite Power Solutions (IPS)
3.7.7. Excellatron
3.7.8. Nanotecture
4. PHOTOVOLTAICS
4.1. Introduction
4.2. History
5. COMPANY PROFILES BY TECHNOLOGY
5.1. Principles and operations
5.2. Amorphous/nanoparticle Si
5.2.1. Introduction-Brief Description of technology
5.3. Amorphous /nanoparticle Si-Key Companies
5.3.1. Sharp
5.3.2. United Solar Ovonic
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