It's hard to see how any of the CIGS photovoltaic systems can succeed. Their cost projections were based on the price of indium when they first formed their companies. The demand for indium, in the form of indium tin oxide (ITO), used as the transparent conductor in flat panel displays, grows geometrically. With added demand for use in CIGS photovoltaics it's possible that what seemed an economical solution for producing solar electrical power may have a self-limiting future. I can't imagine that the price of gallium will stabilize anytime soon, either.
The other "inexpensive" photovoltaic may be doomed to the same fate. The copper telluride thin film system now faces rapid price increases for tellurium. It's something like 25 times what it was a few years ago. Perhaps it's time to look at solar power that doesn't depend so much on very rare elements. M. --- Michel Jullian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://www.nanosolar.com/blog3/2007/10/28/san-jose-factory-construction/ > "heres a photo from a bit earlier of the first part of one of our > roll-to-roll processing tools > coming together. Many of our production tools are quite long e.g. 100 > feet. This maximizes the > yield, throughput, and overall economics of the mile-long rolls of solar cell > foil processed in > there." > > Even if they didn't deliver ultimately, which seems less and less likely, > other CIGS thin film solar > companies have also attracted massive investment lately: > http://media.cleantech.com/1961/heliovolt-thin-film-boosts-series-b-to-101m > http://media.cleantech.com/1986/daystar-prices-63-8m-follow-on-offering > > Grid competitive solar panels soon on our rooftops? > > Michel > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
