Ascent Solar Technologies Inc. has manufactured a monolithically interconnected, five-meter-long, flexible, lightweight module on a polyimide substrate.
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‘This is the largest monolithically interconnected [copper indium gallium deselenide (CIGS)] module on polyimide and may be the largest of any CIGS module, regardless of construction,’ states Dr. Prem Nath, senior vice president for production operations at Ascent Solar. ‘The size and efficiency of this module make it a breakthrough for the emerging opportunities of flexible CIGS photovoltaic modules.’
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The CIGS-based thin-film material used in this module was manufactured using the company's unique 1.5 MW roll-to-roll manufacturing line. The module was encapsulated during the testing and qualification of equipment that will be used for its 30 MW plant under construction.
Based on internal tests and evaluation, this module weighs 2 kg and produces 123 W (under standard test conditions), with an aperture area efficiency of 9.1%, Ascent Solar notes. This length is a baseline for the company's development of large-area flexible building-integrated photovoltaic products.
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SOURCE: Ascent Solar Technologies Inc.
