Global Solar Energy, a manufacturer of Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cells, announced earlier this week the full operation of what it says is the largest solar electric array worldwide using CIGS photovoltaic (PV) technology.
The 750-kilowatt (kW) system, located at Global Solar’s manufacturing facility in Tucson, Arizona, is the first commercial-scale deployment of the company’s CIGS thin-film solar technology and will help power its manufacturing plant.
The system is financed, owned and operated by MMA Renewable Ventures, LLC, a subsidiary of Municipal Mortgage & Equity, LLC (OTC:MMAB.PK). SOLON Corporation, a fully-owned subsidiary of SOLON AG (SOO1.DE), produced and installed the PV modules and designed the array.
Covering 310,000 square feet at Global Solar’s manufacturing plant, the system features a ground-mounted solar array that uses 6,600 SOLON solar modules incorporating Global Solar’s CIGS thin-film solar cells. Offering cost and manufacturing advantages, CIGS thin-film is poised to become a leading solar technology.
Global Solar is purchasing the power generated from MMA Renewable Ventures under the terms of a long-term commercial financing agreement.
"This operational solar array is a monumental step in America’s energy revolution," SOLON Corporation’s CEO Olaf Koester said. "CIGS technology will contribute to driving down solar energy prices, bringing renewable energy to the masses."
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Colorado-based Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTI) announced that it has achieved greater than 9.5% efficiency for its flexible CIGS thin-film solar modules.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has independently verified that the modules measured as high as 9.64% in conversion efficiency. The modules tested at NREL were produced from the company’s 1.5-MW pilot production line.
"We have been working to achieve these efficiencies during our internal optimization process, and we view this achievement as a tremendous breakthrough. The test modules measure six inches wide by one foot long and serves as our building block for portable power and building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products," said Dr. Prem Nath, Sr. Vice President of Manufacturing for Ascent Solar. "Our goal continues to be the commercialization of flexible thin-film CIGS modules using a plastic substrate, which we hope will uniquely position Ascent Solar to provide light weight flexible photovoltaic material at low cost."
Lawrence Kazmerksi, Executive Director at NREL, said, "This is significant. Many doubted that a thin-film CIGS solar cell-on-plastic technology could be possible. Ascent Solar not only achieved this, but they now have confirmed efficiencies at NREL on fully integrated, monolithic prototype modules near 10%. This appears to be a substantial leap toward realizing high-performance, inexpensive thin-film solar photovoltaics."
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a developer of thin-film photovoltaic modules with substrate materials that can be more flexible and affordable than most traditional solar panels. Ascent Solar modules can be directly integrated into standard building materials, space applications, consumer electronics for portable power or configured as stand alone modules for large scale terrestrial deployment. Ascent Solar is located in Littleton, Colorado.
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