How Thin Film Solar is Shaping the Future of Renewable Energy

There are several practical ways to utilize thin film solar from a household’s perspective. Since these solar panels are flexible and lightweight, you can mount them on your shade structures, rooftops, small farm irrigation units, and on suitable surfaces for household power needs.

Sustainability

BY Investigation Team

Thin film solar is one of the renewable energy technologies that’s expected to shape the future of renewable energy. In fact, the global thin film solar cell market was already valued at approximately USD 12.23 billion in 2022 as the technology is already showing promising potential and an array of other benefits that outshine the traditional crystalline-type solar panels. If you’re wondering what the buzz about thin film solar is all, then you are in the right place!

We’ve compiled a detailed guide on everything you should know about thin-film solar and how it’s shaping the future of renewable energy.

What is Thin Film Solar?

Thin film solar is a relatively new type of photovoltaic solar panel but with a thinner and more flexible design. These types of solar cells are designed to overcome the rigidity of traditional solar panels in a way that they can easily be mounted virtually anywhere including on windows, walls, objects and the likes.

In the design of thin-film solar, a thin substrate, say glass or plastic is deposited on a solid surface to form the foundation. A semiconductor substrate is then deposited on the substrate material and is followed by electrodes on both ends to conduct the electrical energy from the semiconductor material.

There is ongoing research geared towards improving the impact of the efficiency and performance of these cells. A case example is a recent discovery by researchers from Dartmouth College who’ve found a new potential absorber material for thin-film solar cells, known as zintl-phosphide (BaCd2P2).

Absorber materials in thin-film solar cells are essentially the substances that capture sunlight and convert it into electrical energy. So, the choice of absorber material affects the cell’s ability to absorb light and convert it into electricity.

The researchers believe that BaCd2P2, and potentially other members of the Zintl AM2X2 family could pave the way for new advancements in photovoltaic technology.

Manufacturers are also investing heavily in research work to improve this technology. A case example is R&D work exploring the possibility of integrating perovskite materials into existing thin-film technology.

Perovskites are known for their exceptional properties such as superconductivity and magnetoresistance. They are thus expected to significantly improve photovoltaic performance in future.

What Are the Benefits of Thin Film Solar?

Thin film solar already has numerous benefits over traditional photovoltaic cells.

Here are some of the perks of this type of solar cell:

Lower Price

Compared to traditional solar panels, thin-film solar panels are cheaper. For example, the average cost of a thin film solar panel is between $0.5-$1.00 per watt while the traditional crystalline silicon panels cost around $1.00 – $1.5 per watt. Well, it is important to note that the price of thin film solar panels can vary based on the type of semiconductor material used.

Flexibility

Unlike conventional crystalline solar panels that are made of divided cells, the entire surface of thin-film solar panels is made of continuous semiconductor substrate. This gives them a flexible design that makes it easier to deploy them in virtually any space including on cars, windows, portable power sources, camping, and even tight spaces.

Lightweight

The layers of thin-film solar are approximately 300-350 times thinner than crystalline solar panels. For the same wattage, thin-film solar is much lighter than conventional crystalline panels. This makes it useful for portable power installation needs.

Good Performance with Varied Lighting

While its efficiency is not great, thin film solar panels tend to perform well even with low lighting conditions and high temperature conditions.

Fewer Installation Materials and Better Aesthetic Appeal

Unlike traditional solar panels, thin-film solar panels are easy to install. They don’t need costly accessories as they can be mounted with adhesives or a few necessary accessories. Additionally, they tend to look more appealing and give your building a better aesthetic appeal while at the same time giving you electrical power.

Thin Film Solar in Buildings, Windows and Sculptures

Again, the real beauty with this solar cell is that they can be mounted on buildings and windows effectively as they can fit into tight spaces with ease. Remember, the panels are highly flexible.

Consumers can now utilize spaces that could have otherwise been difficult to utilize if conventional rigid solar photovoltaic panels were used instead.

You can pretty much mount thin-film solar on any surface using just adhesives! Whether it is on the walls, rooftops, windows, or sculptures, you can stick your panels on a relatively lower budget compared to the traditional setup.

What Are the Challenges That Still Need To Be Overcome by Thin Film Solar?

On the flipside, the major bottleneck with thin-film solar panels is its low efficiency. Typically, the efficiency of a thin-film solar panel is about 6-18%.

The efficiency varies with the type of semiconductor material substrate used. This means you need to choose the one with the best semiconductor substrate materials for better efficiency.

On the other hand, the efficiency of traditional crystalline solar panels is typically between 15-20%.

While the efficiency of thin-film solar panels is a big challenge, more active research is being done to improve its efficiency and performance metrics.

How can households use thin film solar?

Well, there are several practical ways to utilize thin film solar from a household’s perspective. Since these solar panels are flexible and lightweight, you can mount them on your shade structures, rooftops, small farm irrigation units, and on suitable surfaces for household power needs.

You can harness solar power to pump water, lighting, security, and passive heating among other electrical applications.

How Can Thin Film Solar Be Integrated with Buildings?

Thin film solar panels can also be integrated into buildings for various building needs such as cooling and heating, lighting, security, and power backup systems, particularly the thin-film panels that come with adhesives. They can easily be set up on vertical and curved surfaces with minimal resources to get up and running!

Additionally, these panels can also be integrated with construction elements such as windows and roof shingles because they are compatible with different materials.

This technique is referred to as building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and redefines energy efficiency and aesthetic designs, especially in urban landscapes.

Can Bad Weather Affect Solar Films?

Thin film solar is designed for outdoor usage and therefore, only serious weather conditions and debris accumulation over an extended period can affect or damage the solar films.

Such severe conditions tend to affect the output power and not the mechanical structure of the solar films. In fact, thin film solar is already outperforming traditional cells in places with low solar insolation and high temperature conditions. Also, they tend to offer better mechanical durability compared to rigid cells (as they are more flexible) in such conditions.

Top Manufacturers of Thin-Film Solar Panels in the Market

There are already many players in the thin-film manufacturing market and this is expected to keep growing as more people around the globe shift to renewable energy.

Here are some of the most notable manufacturers of thin-film solar panels in the market:

Ascent Solar- This is a Colorado-based thin-film solar manufacturer that uses Copper-Indium-Gallium-Selenide (CIGS) photovoltaic technology on a flexible polyimide substrate. These panels can be packaged for any environment for different user needs. It is worth noting that Ascent Solar has been collaborating with NASA to test out its cutting-edge thin and flexible solar film on a NASA spacecraft.
First Solar- Founded in 1999, First Solar is a prominent American solar technology company known for its eco-efficient solar modules including being one of the pioneers of thin film Cadmium Telluride (CadTel) photovoltaic (PV) technology
Polysolar- Founded in 2007, this is a UK-based company that develops and manufactures transparent thin film solar for building integrated applications.
NexPower: NexPower specializes in thin-film solar technology, focusing on developing high-efficiency solar panels using advanced materials and processes.
They often use cadmium telluride (CdTe) or other thin-film materials that allow for flexible and lightweight solar panels.
Sharp Thin Film: The Sharp Corporation, is a well-known electronics manufacturer that has ventured into the solar market with thin-film technology. Sharp Thin Film panels are based on amorphous silicon (a-Si), which provides flexibility and lightweight properties. Their panels are used in a range of applications from consumer electronics to large-scale solar power plants.
Bangkok Solar: This is a company based in Thailand focusing on the development and production of thin-film solar panels. They use advanced thin-film technologies, including cadmium telluride and amorphous silicon, to create efficient solar panels.
Wurth Solar: This company specializes in the production of thin-film solar modules using primarily CIS (Copper Indium Selenide) technology. Their solar modules are used in various sectors, including building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and large-scale solar projects.
Global Solar Energy: Founded in 2013, Global Solar Energy is known for its work in thin-film solar technology, particularly focusing on copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) technology. They develop flexible and lightweight CIGS solar panels that offer high efficiency and versatility.
Stion: Stion is known for its thin-film solar technology based on CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Selenide). Their panels are designed for high efficiency and low cost, with a focus on scalability and production efficiency.
Hanergy: This is another global leader in thin-film solar technology, headquartered in China. They use a variety of thin-film technologies, including CIGS and a-Si, to produce lightweight and flexible solar panels.
MiaSole MiaSole focuses on the development and commercialization of CIGS thin-film solar panels. The company is known for its high efficiency and low cost of production that taps into advanced deposition techniques.
Topray Solar: Topray Solar is a Chinese company specializing in thin-film solar panels. They utilize technologies like amorphous silicon (a-Si) and other thin-film materials to produce flexible and efficient solar panels.
Solar Frontier: Solar Frontier, a Japanese company, is another prominent player in the thin-film solar sector that focuses on CIS (Copper Indium Selenide) thin-film technology.
Calyxo: This is a German company specializing in CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Selenide) thin-film solar technology. Their panels are known for their high efficiency and lightweight properties.
Kaneka Solartech: Kaneka Solartech is a division of Kaneka Corporation from Japan that also produces thin-film solar panels using amorphous silicon (a-Si) and other innovative materials.

Wrapping up

In a nutshell, as the world increasingly prioritizes sustainability and renewable energy sources, the thin film solar cell market stands as a beacon of innovation and growth in the sector. With strategic partnerships, technological advancements, and a growing focus on addressing global energy demands, the future of solar energy is brighter than ever as we can expect further improvements in efficiency, cost, and sustainability!