3M and NREL to Research Moisture Barrier for Thin-Film Photovoltaics and Reflectors for Solar Concentrator and Solar Photovoltaic Plants
Source/Type: News - Staff reports

Author: CompoundSemi News Staff

May 17, 2010... The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and 3M, of St. Paul, Minnesota, have jointly undertaken research and development projects in three key areas of clean energy: thin-film photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, and biofuels. 3M and NREL will work to develop and test new moisture barrier films and flexible packaging for thin film solar cells made of semiconducting layers of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). NREL researchers previously reported that CIGS cells have achieved a record efficiency of 19.9 percent. However, commercial viability for the cells requires high efficiency, low cost, and extreme durability.

The solar cells are expected to work effectively for 20 years. Therefore, they will need to be encapsulated in a flexible material that is transparent to light, but also provides durable protection without adding significant costs. NREL Principal Investigator Mike Kempe will test 3M technologies designed to protect solar cells from moisture and other contaminants during their 20-year lifetimes. Kempe and other NREL researchers will conduct accelerated stress tests, including temperature, humidity and irradiance tests, to establish failure barriers on as many as three types of 3M CIGS designs. NREL and 3M will jointly interpret the results to help establish module standards for a 20-year lifetime.

The company will also be working with the NREL on developing and improving effectiveness, and robustness of mirror films for concentrated solar power and concentrated photovoltaics.

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