Energy conversion of 15.9% by flexible CIGS solar cell

After a lot of head-scratching and brain storming, the guys at the Research Center for Photovoltaics at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) came up with a record-breaking flexible solar submodule. Using a CIGS thin film, a solar cell material, this monolithically integrated flexible solar cell submodule has the world’s highest photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency of 15.9%.

These types of solar modules are the heart-throb of solar technology, since unlike their paneled up counterparts, they can be easily fitted onto uneven surfaces. An energy conversion of more than 10% for these flexible solar submodules has never been attained before, due to which efficiency suffered. However, with this breakthrough, lightweight and flexible solar cell technology will find more uses and wider applications in future.

[NanoWerk]