The F3 Energy Group Solution: Amelio Solar Thin-Film Solar Panels = Lowest Cost, More Applications

Thin film photovoltaic technology is rapidly emerging as the solution that will make solar power truly viable as a major energy source. This technology involves applying a very thin layer of photovoltaic material onto a glass panel which is then bonded to a second glass panel such that the photovoltaic material is securely encased between two layers of glass. This simple encapsulated glass configuration makes thin-film solar panels highly durable, easy to handle and useful for a variety of applications.

 

Thin film technology has many significant advantages, both economic and practical, over the traditional crystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar panels:


 

Much less expensive: Thin-film panels use only a thin layer of photovoltaic material, 100 times thinner than the material used in traditional panels.


 

The most prevalent thin-film technology, amorphous silicon, uses only a small fraction of the amount of silicon used in traditional solar panels and, furthermore, the type of silicon used in these advanced panels is less processed and therefore much less expensive as a source material than the silicon used in traditional panels.


 

The newest type of thin-film material, CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide), does not use silicon at all.
In addition, because thin-film panels are comprised of photovoltaic material essentially sprayed onto widely available glass, they can be produced cheaply and quickly.

 

As a result, thin-film panels can be produced for 70% to as little as 30% of the cost per Watt of traditional crystalline and polycrystalline silicon panels. This cost advantage will grow as the cost of crystalline silicon increases while the photovoltaic and manufacturing efficiencies of thin-film panels continue to improve.


 

 

 Works for more hours each day…and in more weather conditions:

Unlike crystalline and polycrystalline panels, which effectively function in direct sunlight for a few peak hours each day, thin-film Amorphous Silicon solar panels do not lose efficiency as dramatically during off-peak and low-light hours. They can generate electricity throughout daylight hours, at various levels of efficiency depending on light conditions…even during cloud-covered days. So, although thin-film panels currently are less efficient at converting sunlight to electricity than crystalline and polycrystalline panels (from 6% for amorphous silicon thin-film to up to 10% for CIGS thin-film, versus up to 15% for traditional crystalline and polycrystalline silicon), thin-film solar panels function longer each day and year-round. In addition, thin-film panels maintain their efficiency at higher temperatures better than traditional crystalline and polycrystalline silicon panels, whose performance degrades significantly in elevated heat. As a result, thin-film solar panels deliver more kilowatt-hours of electricity per kilowatt of installed capacity than traditional solar panels.

 

 Can function in various positions:

Because thin-film Amorphous Silicon solar panels can function in different angles of direct sunlight and in indirect sunlight with less performance drop-off than traditional solar panels, they can be placed in different positions on a structure. Unlike crystalline and polycrystalline panels, which need to be placed in a specific position to face the sun at peak hours in order to perform, thin-film Amorphous Silicon solar panels can be placed on rooftops, walls and other surfaces at various angles and still generate electricity, although at different levels of efficiency based on the position of the panels in relation to the sun.

 

Can be made partially transparent:

Amorphous Silicon solar panels can be manufactured in a way that maintains a level of transparency such that they can be used for windows. This photovoltaic-enhanced glass looks reasonably similar to the tinted glass typically used in commercial architecture, though with more of a brownish hue, but it generates electricity (although at a lower efficiency level than opaque photovoltaic glass because it allows some light to pass through). As a result, the entire surface of a building can be covered in solar panels.

 

 

Can improve insulation:

When sunlight hits a roof or other building surface, it raises the temperature of that surface. In hot weather, direct sunlight, especially on the roof, can dramatically increase the burden on air conditioning systems which must offset not only the ambient heat in the air but also the radiated heat from the sunlight striking the building. Thin-film panels can be laid flat to cover rooftops and can be used for exterior wall surfaces in lieu of glass and other materials. Because of this coverage, and because they absorb the sun’s rays and convert some of its energy to electricity rather than heat, thin-film panels can reduce air conditioning load and related energy costs. In addition, because of this coverage and the multi-layered, coated glass construction of the panels, they also can improve the building’s cold-weather as well as warm-weather insulation.

 

 

More durable:

Because they are easily and more hermetically encapsulated between glass panes, and therefore are substantially impervious to weather conditions and free radicals, thin-film solar panels are capable of performing more reliably for more years than traditional solar panels, whose void-filled honeycomb of internal components makes encapsulation less robust. Amelio Solar thin-film Amorphous Silicon solar panels are guaranteed to perform at 80% of their original stabilized power output in 25 years. However, a recent study of thin-film Amorphous Silicon solar panels created and installed in various California locations over the past 15 years by the team now at Amelio Solar indicates that the 25-year average performance level actually could be greater than 90% of original stabilized power output and that the 80% level might not be reached until 50 years of use.

 

 

More reliable electrical connectivity:

 

Another advantage of thin-film technology over the traditional technology has to do with inter-cell connections. The wafers comprising crystalline and polycrystalline silicon panels are linked together using metal ribbons attached to the cells at discrete points. Thin-film technology, on the other hand, uses monolithic integration that results in a continuous, distributed line of contact between the front and back thin-film conductors. While broken connections are not uncommon in crystalline and polycrystalline silicon panels, it is virtually impossible for thin-film panels to have broken connections due to inter-cell contact failure. Thin-films have contact redundancy to prevent connections failure, which is an important factor in determining a panel’s longevity.

 

 

More versatile and useful:

 

Because of their lower manufacturing and installation cost, their ability to function in different positions and different light conditions, their ability to be transparent and their insulating properties, thin-film panels can be used cost-effectively in a wide variety of applications:

 

– Commercial, industrial and residential building integration
 Transforms a building’s windows and other exterior surfaces into energy-producing assets.
 For about the same price as high-quality architectural glass, buildings can instead be covered with photovoltaic glass that enhances the architecture and also reduces energy costs.

 

– Critical infrastructure power
 Water pumps, desalination plants, telecommunications towers, oil pipelines, medical clinics, municipal facilities, schools and other infrastructure, especially in locations not accessible to
conventional power grids.

 

– Utility power generation
 Renewable, sustainable, “ecologically friendly” energy source.

Because of its many advantages, thin-film technology is expected to rapidly increase its share of the market for solar panels and may ultimately replace crystalline and polycrystalline silicon as the industry standard, as the cost for that traditional technology continues to rise.

 

 

F3 Energy Group: Amelio Solar Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Solar Panel: Product Specifications:

Amelio Solar thin-film solar panels are produced with high quality glass-to-glass encapsulation methods providing long-term strength and durability. Special aluminum "U" channel mounting rails are located on the back for easy installation and maximum wind resistance. Panels do not need frames for strength or stability but are available upon request. Hermetically sealed electrical wire leads are attached to the panels for highest reliability and access. Amelio Solar thin-film solar panels are tested for safety, performance and compliance with local building/electrical regulations. Product specifications, including rated electrical parameters at STC*/PTC**, are listed below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E-mail: info@F3ENERGYGROUP.COM