Low cost Mass production of PV promised in the future

 fyi...

New Low Cost Solar Panels Ready for Mass Production
Colorado's State Univ.'s panels will cost less than $1 per watt.
Adrienne Selko. Industry Week.
http://www.industryweek.com/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID 932

excerpts:
Sept. 10, 2007 -- Colorado State University's method for manufacturing
low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels is nearing mass production. AVA
Solar Inc.[1] will start production by the end of next year on the
technology developed by mechanical engineering Professor W.S. Sampath
at Colorado State[2]. The new 200-megawatt factory is expected to
employ up to 500 people. Based on the average household usage, 200
megawatts will power 40,000 U.S. homes.
Produced at less than $1 per watt, the panels will dramatically reduce
the cost of generating solar electricity and could power homes and
businesses around the globe with clean energy for roughly the same
cost as traditionally generated electricity.
developed a continuous, automated manufacturing process for solar
panels using glass coating with a cadmium telluride thin film instead
of the standard high-cost crystalline silicon. Because the process
produces high efficiency devices (ranging from 11% to 13%) at a very
high rate and yield, it can be done much more cheaply than with
existing technologies. The cost to the consumer could be as low as $2
per watt, about half the current cost of solar panels. In addition,
this solar technology need not be tied to a grid, so it can be
affordably installed and operated in nearly any location.
The process is a low waste process with less than 2% of the materials
used in production needing to be recycled. It also makes better use of
raw materials since the process converts solar energy into electricity
more efficiently. Cadmium telluride solar panels require 100 times
less semiconductor material than high-cost crystalline silicon
panels....

[1] http://www.avasolar.com/
[2] http://welcome.colostate.edu/index.asp?url=media_ava


alternative source:

Colorado's 200 MW Solar Manufacturing Facility Nears Completion
Fort Collins, Colorado.
RenewableEnergyAccess.com  Sept 6 2007
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?idI858&src=rss

 

drydem wrote:


I'll believe when I see it.

Where are they building the factories ?

Graham

 wrote:

The manufacturer AVA solar, which currently manufactures
silicon crystal solar cells and optocouplers is located in
Ft. Collins, Colorado. The new factory is scheduled to
be online next year.

 

    I Googled it, and they look legit..... whattaboggin'

 

drydem wrote:


In order to make a serious impact they'll need more than ONE factory !

Don't expect cheap PV solar any time soon.

Graham