Risø/DTU to build demonstration array of plastic solar cells, Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy
Release Date: 2009-05-13
A demonstration array of plastic solar cells is to be built at Risø/DTU's Roskilde facility, where it will be integrated into the lighting grid
Denmark's National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Risø/DTU, is developing a rather different type of solar cell than the convention silicon model – for one thing it's made of plastic, and for another is can be literally printed onto rolls of film. Being a new and developing technology, it will be some time before it becomes competitive on a cost per watt basis. But progress on that front is being made surprisingly quickly, reports professional journal Ingeniøren (The Engineer).
In summer 2008, the cost efficiency of Risø/DTU's plastic solar cell was a completely academic DKK 33,500 per watt. But by spring 2009 the price had dropped dramatically to DKK 112 per watt. And by the end of this year, it is expected that the price will have dropped below DKK 37 per watt, a 1000-fold reduction since last year.
A demonstration array is now to be built at Risø/DTU's Roskilde facility, where it will be integrated into the lighting grid. The new solar array will be mounted on a steerable tower so that the installation can track the path of the sun across the sky.
Risø/DTU director Henrik Bindslev told Ingeniøren: "The demonstration is a wonderful example of how collaboration between research and industry can advance technological development and create the first foundation for implementation of a new technology in society."
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy |
| Country: | Denmark |
| Url: | http://www.denmark.dk/en/servicemenu/news/environment-energy-climate-news/risoedtutobuilddemonstrationarrayofplasticsolarcells.htm |