Inkjet printers, a low-cost technology that in recent decades has revolutionized home and small office printing, may soon offer similar benefits for the future of solar energy.
Engineers at Oregon State University have discovered a way for the first time to create successful "CIGS" solar devices with inkjet printing, in work that reduces raw material waste by 90 percent and will significantly lower the cost of producing solar energy cells with some very promising compounds.
High performing, rapidly produced, ultra-low cost, thin film solar electronics should be possible, scientists said.
The findings have been published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, a professional journal, and a patent applied for on the discovery. Further research is needed to increase the efficiency of the cell, but the work could lead to a whole new generation of solar energy technology, researchers say.
"This is very promising and could be an important new technology to add to the solar energy field," said Chih-hung Chang, an OSU professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering. "Until now no one had been able to create working CIGS solar devices with inkjet technology."
Part of the advantage of this approach, Chang said, is a dramatic reduction in wasted material. Instead of depositing chemical compounds on a substrate with a more expensive vapor phase deposition -- wasting most of the material in the process -- inkjet technology could be used to create precise patterning with very low waste.
"Some of the materials we want to work with for the most advanced solar cells, such as indium, are relatively expensive," Chang said. "If that's what you're using you can't really afford to waste it, and the inkjet approach almost eliminates the waste."
One of the most promising compounds and the focus of the current study is called chalcopyrite, or "CIGS" for the copper, indium, gallium and selenium elements of which it's composed. CIGS has extraordinary solar efficiency -- a layer of chalcopyrite one or two microns thick has the ability to capture the energy from photons about as efficiently as a 50-micron-thick layer made with silicon.
In the new findings, researchers were able to create an ink that could print chalcopyrite onto substrates with an inkjet approach, with a power conversion efficiency of about 5 percent. The OSU researchers say that with continued research they should be able to achieve an efficiency of about 12 percent, which would make a commercially viable solar cell.
In related work, being done in collaboration with Greg Herman, an OSU associate professor of chemical engineering, the engineers are studying other compounds that might also be used with inkjet technology, and cost even less.
Some approaches to producing solar cells are time consuming, or require expensive vacuum systems or toxic chemicals. OSU experts are working to eliminate some of those roadblocks and create much less costly solar technology that is also more environmentally friendly. New jobs and industries in the Pacific Northwest could evolve from such initiatives, they say.
If costs can be reduced enough and other hurdles breached, it might even be possible to create solar cells that could be built directly into roofing materials, scientists say, opening a huge new potential for solar energy.
"In summary, a simple, fast, and direct-write, solution-based deposition process is developed for the fabrication of high quality CIGS solar cells," the researchers wrote in their conclusion. "Safe, cheap, and air-stable inks can be prepared easily by controlling the composition of low-cost metal salt precursors at a molecular level."
This work was supported by the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, the U.S. Department of Energy and OSU's University Venture Development Fund, which helps donors receive tax benefits while sponsoring projects that will bring new technology, jobs and economic growth to Oregon.
Economic Indicators Point Toward Growth in Renewable Energy
While scanning the horizon in sea of mostly grim economic news, I found three gems - - - news reports or economic indicators, if you will, that point to solid and profitable growth in the renewable energy sector of the economy in the near, 3-5 year term.
These indicators point toward a shift in the financing, production, consumption and distribution of alternative energy, predicated on advances in technology that will bring the productions costs down to a competitive plateau with conventional fossil fuels. I suspect the time it takes from "innovation in the laboratory" to diffuse into the commercial market place has to be reduced from years to months or less, in order for this to work. When investors like General Electric, Google, and MIT, direct research and investment on this scale - - - it just might tip the balance.
The cost benefit ratio of "coal fired" electricity vs "solar" will equalize or fall in favor of solar. In a recent report from Bloomberg news, Mr. Mark M. Little, the global research director for General Electric Co., predicts that solar power may be cheaper than electricity generated by fossil fuels within 3-5 years. A combination of rising energy prices with lower production cost and higher efficiency will make solar cost competitive with conventional coal fired electric generation. General Electric (GE) plans to invest in "advanced" solar panel manufacturing and expects to open a plant in 2013, employing over 400 people and make enough solar panels to power 80,000 homes. If this business plan unfolds as predicted, watch for explosive growth on all fronts the Solar industry.
Major advance in battery technology will change the automotive playing field. The "energy density" ratio of stored battery power vs liquid fossil fuel will get closer giving the battery powered automobile the range you'd expect from a tank of gas - - - with much faster re - charging time. In a press release from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology dated June 6, 2011, researchers announced they have devised a radical new approach to battery construction that provide an inexpensive, smaller, and lighter, alternative to existing battery technology. This is the "breakthrough" technology needed to make electric vehicles affordable and practical. To see the technical details and read full press release go to; http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/flow-batteries-0606.html
Google recently announced a $280 million partnership with California installer, Solar City, (www.solarcity.com) to set up a financing model that offers residents a roof top solar system for no money down. In exchange, customers agree to pay a set price for the power produced by the panels. This is largest solar initiative of its kind in US that will facilitate cost competitive utility scale power generation and distribution to thousands of homes.
To date, GOOGLE has invested over $680 million in renewable energy projects, with the goal of making the company a "net zero" user of electric power. This corporate philosophy is based on the bottom line premise that solar will cost the consumer less than conventional fossil or nuclear. We will all be watching this project to see how it plays out, both in KWh generated and return on investment. If this investment model works for GOOGLE, then maybe, other corporate investors will follow. See full press release; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110614/ap_on_hi_te/us_google_solar
These indicators point toward a shift in the financing, production, consumption and distribution of alternative energy, predicated on advances in technology that will bring the productions costs down to a competitive plateau with conventional fossil fuels. I suspect the time it takes from "innovation in the laboratory" to diffuse into the commercial market place has to be reduced from years to months or less, in order for this to work. When investors like General Electric, Google, and MIT, direct research and investment on this scale - - - it just might tip the balance.
The cost benefit ratio of "coal fired" electricity vs "solar" will equalize or fall in favor of solar. In a recent report from Bloomberg news, Mr. Mark M. Little, the global research director for General Electric Co., predicts that solar power may be cheaper than electricity generated by fossil fuels within 3-5 years. A combination of rising energy prices with lower production cost and higher efficiency will make solar cost competitive with conventional coal fired electric generation. General Electric (GE) plans to invest in "advanced" solar panel manufacturing and expects to open a plant in 2013, employing over 400 people and make enough solar panels to power 80,000 homes. If this business plan unfolds as predicted, watch for explosive growth on all fronts the Solar industry.
Major advance in battery technology will change the automotive playing field. The "energy density" ratio of stored battery power vs liquid fossil fuel will get closer giving the battery powered automobile the range you'd expect from a tank of gas - - - with much faster re - charging time. In a press release from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology dated June 6, 2011, researchers announced they have devised a radical new approach to battery construction that provide an inexpensive, smaller, and lighter, alternative to existing battery technology. This is the "breakthrough" technology needed to make electric vehicles affordable and practical. To see the technical details and read full press release go to; http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2011/flow-batteries-0606.html
Google recently announced a $280 million partnership with California installer, Solar City, (www.solarcity.com) to set up a financing model that offers residents a roof top solar system for no money down. In exchange, customers agree to pay a set price for the power produced by the panels. This is largest solar initiative of its kind in US that will facilitate cost competitive utility scale power generation and distribution to thousands of homes.
To date, GOOGLE has invested over $680 million in renewable energy projects, with the goal of making the company a "net zero" user of electric power. This corporate philosophy is based on the bottom line premise that solar will cost the consumer less than conventional fossil or nuclear. We will all be watching this project to see how it plays out, both in KWh generated and return on investment. If this investment model works for GOOGLE, then maybe, other corporate investors will follow. See full press release; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110614/ap_on_hi_te/us_google_solar
GOP Attacks White House for Politicizing Oil Spill
Republicans lashed out at the Obama administration yesterday for using the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for political purposes, signaling sharpening partisanship during a crucial period in which Democrats hope to build support for climate legislation.
That effort was clouded yesterday as the White House threatened to veto Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) resolution blocking U.S. EPA from regulating thousands of businesses that release carbon dioxide. Critics charge that the EPA rules will shock companies with new costs.
The White House punctuated its opposition to the resolution, to be considered by the Senate tomorrow, by claiming Murkowski's effort would weaken the government's ability to address environmental catastrophes, like the "ongoing BP oil spill."
A peeved Murkowski argued that the administration's "leap of logic," along with environmental groups' attacks linking her resolution with oiled wildlife, obscures her intent: to prevent a massive inflation of agency power that would drown jobs and hike energy prices.
"To have made this connection here that this resolution is all about the oil industry or the energy industry is just absolutely flawed," Murkowski said. "But what I think is happening is the administration and those who oppose me on this are looking to, I think, confuse the issue. I think they're doing a pretty good job of that."
"Stunning," she added of the president's veto threat, suggesting it was manufactured to exploit the spill. "What would he have said if the oil spill had not happened? So I don't know how they made that connect."
The White House Statement of Administration Policy issued yesterday leaned in part on the spill to make its case against Murkowski's "disapproval resolution." The White House document also asserts that stripping EPA of its obligations to address greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act would roll back new fuel efficiency standards for vehicles, which could save motorists $3,000 in fuel costs over the lifetime of future cars.
The resolution would also "undermine the Administration's efforts to reduce the negative impacts of pollution and the risks associated with environmental catastrophes, like the ongoing BP oil spill," the administration document adds. "As seen in the Gulf of Mexico, environmental disasters harm families, destroy jobs, and pollute the Nation's air, land and water."
That effort was clouded yesterday as the White House threatened to veto Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) resolution blocking U.S. EPA from regulating thousands of businesses that release carbon dioxide. Critics charge that the EPA rules will shock companies with new costs.
The White House punctuated its opposition to the resolution, to be considered by the Senate tomorrow, by claiming Murkowski's effort would weaken the government's ability to address environmental catastrophes, like the "ongoing BP oil spill."
A peeved Murkowski argued that the administration's "leap of logic," along with environmental groups' attacks linking her resolution with oiled wildlife, obscures her intent: to prevent a massive inflation of agency power that would drown jobs and hike energy prices.
"To have made this connection here that this resolution is all about the oil industry or the energy industry is just absolutely flawed," Murkowski said. "But what I think is happening is the administration and those who oppose me on this are looking to, I think, confuse the issue. I think they're doing a pretty good job of that."
"Stunning," she added of the president's veto threat, suggesting it was manufactured to exploit the spill. "What would he have said if the oil spill had not happened? So I don't know how they made that connect."
The White House Statement of Administration Policy issued yesterday leaned in part on the spill to make its case against Murkowski's "disapproval resolution." The White House document also asserts that stripping EPA of its obligations to address greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act would roll back new fuel efficiency standards for vehicles, which could save motorists $3,000 in fuel costs over the lifetime of future cars.
The resolution would also "undermine the Administration's efforts to reduce the negative impacts of pollution and the risks associated with environmental catastrophes, like the ongoing BP oil spill," the administration document adds. "As seen in the Gulf of Mexico, environmental disasters harm families, destroy jobs, and pollute the Nation's air, land and water."
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