• Boise might play host to world’s super thin-film cell manufacturing plant

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    Here’s a solar cell that could easily fit into the mouth of a bug, the thinnest solar cell the world has ever seen before. This extremely thin-film solar cell, by Transform Solar could seen be produced in Boise, if all goes well. Boise, Idaho is already making way for a 10-megawatt photovoltaic plant, and may soon welcome this production plant too. The cells known as “Silver” are thinner than ever, and highly efficient. The company, Transform Solar, is a joint venture between Boise-based Micron Technology and Australia’s Origin Energy. New life will be given to an old computer chip plant which will be overhauled to produce these solar cells.


    Made of monocrystalline silicon, these solar cells use much less of the semiconductor than conventional crystalline silicon solar cells. Material costs have dropped by a sweet 90 percent in their production too. Measuring around 50 microns thick, these cells can capture energy from both sides, making them highly efficient. Hopefully things go as planned and we have a green energy production line soon at Boise.
    [Calfinder]

    Posted in Topics:Gadgets and Tech, Tags: , on June 29, 2010