IBM said that the solar cell development also sets itself apart from its predecessors as it was created using a combination of solution and nanoparticle-based approaches, rather than the vacuum-based technique. The production change is expected to enable lower fabrication costs, as it is consistent with high-throughput and high materials utilization based deposition techniques including printing, dip and spray coating and slit casting.
David Mitzi, leader of the team at IBM Research that developed the solar cell, said: “In a given hour, more energy from sunlight strikes the earth than the entire planet consumes in a year, but solar cells currently contribute less than 0.1% of electricity supply – primarily as a result of cost.
“The quest to develop a solar technology that can compare on a cost per watt basis with the conventional electricity generation, and also offer the ability to deploy at the terawatt level, has become a major challenge that our research is moving us closer to overcoming.”
In order to progress in solar cell research, IBM is leveraging its expertise in microprocessor technology, materials and manufacturing.
