Target Market: Grid-Tied Utilities
The largest demand for thin film photovoltaic products in today's markets are for flat plate glass modules that closely emulate the form and function of modules made with costly silicon wafers. Thin film modules made with this form factor have shown to successfully compete on both price and performance in a number of applications, but particularly in centralized utility or "free field" power plant installations. In this application the higher energy production per rated kilowatt of installed capacity, combined with the declining prices of thin film modules, is advancing their use in very large utility grid tied projects.
In Europe, local solar conditions leverage the benefits of thin film technologies to create favorable project economics over traditional Silicon technologies. The even higher efficiencies of CIGS modules will enable wide-scale deployment as this market application continues to grow. The same situation is developing in US utility grid-tied PV markets as these applications are being increasingly considered to meet State by State Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS). As the relative advantage of CIGS based modules increases due to manufacturing cost declines and performance improvements expected with volume manufacturing, demand for CIGS modules will increase.
DayStar has demonstrated during its development and pilot scale manufacturing operations that producing CIGS modules on glass will generate higher performing complete module products at a cost that will allow direct entry into current and expanding photovoltaic markets. DayStar believes its proprietary approach to manufacturing CIGS products will significantly advance the use of thin film PV products as solar energy marches toward competing with all other forms of electrical energy production.
Photo Credit: Beck Energy