Printable Solar Cells Market: Low Cost Solar Technology
Printable solar cells technology is on the verge of commercialization. Printable solar cells are made from specifically developed solar ink technology.
A team of scientist from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia, has been extensively working on the development of printable solar panels for the last few years.
Solar ink comprises metal salts and a blend of polymer-fullerene. The ink consists of a photoactive layer made of p-type polymer and n-type fullerene. This is combined with the anode employed on the substrate.
The solar ink system can be applied on layered coatings with the help of inkjet printing technology. The major advantage of printable solar cell is the negligible cost of manufacturing these cells, due to the continuously falling prices of silicon material across the globe.
Increase in demand for electricity across the globe is a primary driver of the printable solar cell market, and it is likely to expand at a significant pace in the near future. Printable solar cells have the capability to provide constant electricity for residential and commercial buildings. This is projected to fuel the printable solar cells market during the forecast period.
Printable solar cells possess the ability to provide electricity from a number of resources such as walls, roller blinds, shade umbrellas, curtains, and tents. These applications are expected to provide an abundance of electric power to residential houses and non-residential buildings around the globe. These factors are anticipated to boost the printable solar cells market in the near future.
Expansion of the global solar industry is estimated to propel the demand for printable solar cells owing to their low-cost advantage over conventional silicon PV cells. However, a rise in demand for affordable solar power components, including solar panels, is expected to fuel the printable solar cells market in the near future.
Photovoltaic cell provide better performance at the good cost but there are not flexible in nature. Hence these are not user friendly in terms of installation. However, the low cost for printable solar cells coupled with their flexible designing is anticipate to fuel the demand after commercialization of these solar cells.
Printable solar cells can be directly integrated during the construction instead of adding solar module and arrays to an existing building or home. This is turns, reduce the installation costs and make the printable solar cell cost efficient in nature.
Further, the printable solar cells can effortlessly change their shape and design to provide for aesthetically better enhancements to a building’s façade.
Better Efficiency from Counterparts to Hamper Market:
The printable solar cells market is expected to face intense competition from counterparts such as silicon material photovoltaic cells. The conventional counterparts including silicon solar PV cells are 25% efficient. However, the latest development of printable solar cells technology has been providing up to 10% efficiency as compared to the solar PV cells. This factor is projected to hinder the printable solar cells market during the forecast period.
Newly developed printable solar cells by the group of scientist from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia, possess a lifespan of up to six months. However, conventional silicon solar PV cells possess a longer lifespan, which is a key factor that is likely to restrain the printable solar cells market in the near future.
Improvements to enhance the lifespan of printable solar cells along with the resistance to extreme environmental conditions require a strong focus on research and development. These developments are projected to fuel
Key Highlights on Printable Solar Cells Manufacturing Technology:
Victorian Organic Solar Cell Consortium (VICOSC) has proposed key manufacturing technology such as Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells and Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSC).
Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells is an organic solar cell technology major that uses flexible solar cells made with polymers. These polymer solar cells are also called as plastic solar cells. It is a type of thin film solar cell technology.
Furthermore, Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) is considered as an efficient type of thin film photovoltaic cells technology. It utilizes nanoparticles of titanium dioxide with a layer of light harvesting dyes. DSSC is easy to manufacture by using conventional roll printing technology. These factors are projected to fuel the printable solar cells market in the near future.
