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| Honda to mass produce next-generation thin film solar cell  Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is to begin mass production in 2007, of an independently developed thin film solar cell composed of non-silicon compound materials, which requires 50% less energy, and thus generate 50% less CO2, during production compared to a conventional solar cell. A mass production plant with annual capacity of 27.5 Megawatts will be established at Honda's Kumamoto factory. Honda will produce and sell solar panels in a limited area, starting from 2006 fall. By using thin film made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and selenium, next-generation solar cell achieves a major reduction in energy consumed during the manufacturing process to approximately 50% of the amount required by conventional crystal silicon solar cells.Thus, this new solar cell is more environmentally-friendly by reducing the amount of CO2 even from the production stage. The next-generation solar cell has achieved the highest level of photoelectric transfer efficiency for a thin film solar cell, almost equivalent to the conventional crystal silicon solar cell. Achieving lower costs and higher photoelectric transfer efficiency is required in order to expand use of solar cells which will help protect the global environment. Honda says non-silicon thin film solar cells have been attracting significant attention as a potential solution to these challenges. The only remaining challenges were the stabilization of performance and development of mass production technologies. The mass production of Honda's next-generation solar cell became possible with a new mass production process for thin film solar cells developed independently by Honda Engineering. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Construction News :: home page |