[ExI] Inkjet printing could change the face of solar energy industry

[Jeff Davis]

Extropes.

I have been waiting for this.

The cost of first-generation single-crystal (and even amorphous)
silicon photovoltaics has been way high.  (Gallium arsenide
substantially worse,(I think)) But with no alternative to compare it
to, I suspect people got used to the idea that PV is ***inherently***
expensive, that that's just "the way it is."

What I expected however, was that somewhere down the road we would get
a PV technology that employs a printing process to make square
kilometers of PV films on rolls at a vastly cheaper price.  There've
been some promising candidates before now, but I'm thinking this may
be the first generation real deal.

"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."

Not just "low" cost, but "ultra-low" cost.  Love the sound of that.

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/06/inkjet-printing-could-change-face-of.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2Fadvancednano+%28nextbigfuture%29

Best, Jeff Davis

"Everything's hard till you know how to do it."
                                Ray Charles