LEIPZIG (dpa) – Ever wished you could keep your car interior cool even when it is parked in blazing sunshine? This may soon be possible, thanks new thin film solar cells developed and patented by German physicist Gerd Lippold.
The paper-thin films can be attached to surfaces unthinkable for solar energy up to now, such as uneven car parts. The films could also make “intelligent textiles” to power mobile phones or MP3 players, or measure body functions.
Up to now, it has only been possible to create solar cells on plastic films by using silicon, and the process has been prohibitively expensive.
It costs between 40 and 50 euros (36 and 45 U.S. dollars) to produce just one watt of power, because the low power yield of just 3 per cent must later be boosted.
What is more, the pure silicon is expensive because the computer industry also uses it to manufacture chips.
But Lippold uses copper, indium and selenium as an alternative to silicon, and estimates the costs at around one euro (90 cents) per watt.
Under the old process, temperatures of up to 500 degrees Celsius are necessary to produce solar cells. But Lippold has found a way to create it at lower temperatures of 300-400 degrees. He fires selenium in an ion beam at the film at high speed. The high-energy ions trigger a heavy reaction by the copper and indium atoms.
Lippold developed the process as a scientist at Leipzig University but has since set up his own company.
Last year he won first place in a business start-up competition by the Saxony economy ministry, which provided him with 25,600 euros (23,000 dollars) start-up capital for his company Solarion GmbH.
Since then is has found investors who have put up many millions of venture capital.
He has now bought four vacuum systems with which he plans to launch his first series prototype next autumn.The company is currently only in its start-up phase, although it expects to start to be profitable within two years.
Lippold is also confident of long-term, mass market success. “We have no competition, we are venturing into new markets,” he said.
