26 October 2011

MiaSolé’s CIGS PV modules reach 13% efficiency in volume production

MiaSolé of Santa Clara, CA, USA, which was founded in 2001 to make copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic panels, says that its latest energy conversion efficiency of 13% is now in volume production. This efficiency gain represents a 30% improvement since the beginning of the year, while costs per watt have been cut by a similar amount over the same timeframe.

“The 13% production milestone is indicative of the ingenuity and diligence of our engineers as well as the enormous potential for CIGS thin-film solar as we continue to raise the bar,” says VP of marketing Robert DeLine. “Finding the sweet spot between performance and cost will be the critical factor in driving widespread adoption,” he adds.

While crystalline silicon (c-Si) PV manufacturers have traditionally sought to reduce costs through their manufacturing process alone, MiaSolé says that it continues to move towards a cost structure competitive with top-tier solar manufacturers through the combination of a proprietary low-cost physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, low capital expenditure, and the use of abundant and less expensive raw materials. Researcher Martin Green cited the firm’s unique process and its potential in ‘Solar cell efficiency tables (version 37)’ in the journal Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, volume 19, issue 1 (January 2011), page 84. 

MiaSolé says that its panels are being used for projects worldwide, with more than 55MW shipped to date. The panels have been selected for a range of segments from utility-scale fields to rooftops, and unique applications such as electric vehicle recharging stations.

“We’re making steady progress on a roadmap that delivers value to our customers,” says DeLine. “We’re producing 13%-efficiency modules today, and the advantages associated with the improved efficiency of our glass-on-glass products will extend to future flex products, opening a host of new applications and markets,” he adds.

Tags: MiaSole CIGS

Visit: www.MiaSole.com