New Low Cost Solar Panels Ready for Mass Production

Colorado State University's method for manufacturing low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels is nearing mass production. AVA Solar Inc. will start production by the end of next year on the technology developed by mechanical engineering Professor W.S. Sampath at Colorado State.

Sampath has developed a continuous, automated manufacturing process for solar panels using glass coating with a cadmium telluride thin film instead of the standard high-cost crystalline silicon. Because the process produces high efficiency devices (ranging from 11% to 13%) at a very high rate and yield, it can be done much more cheaply than with existing technologies. The cost to the consumer could be as low as $2 per watt, about half the current cost of solar panels.

The process is a low waste process with less than 2% of the materials used in production needing to be recycled. Cadmium telluride solar panels require 100 times less semiconductor material than high-cost crystalline silicon panels.

via Industry Week via Engadget