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Bigger, Cheaper Solar Cells
Phenombecile800 writes "First Solar, a start-up from Arizona, is making photovoltaic cells at a fraction of the usual cost. Their secret: increasing the light-catching area 'from postage-stamp to traffic-sign dimensions,' reducing the manufacturing time to 1/10th of the competition's, and thinning the active element to 1/100th the usual thickness over a glass substrate, which enables the production of large panels. IEEE Spectrum provides some technical details about the production process. 'Glass is placed on rollers and fed into the first chamber, where it is heated to 600 C. Then it is transferred into the second chamber, which is full of cadmium sulfide vapor, formed by heating solid CdS to 700 C. The vapor forms a submicrometer deposit on the glass as it moves through this cloud, after which a similar process in a third chamber adds a layer of micrometers-thick CdTe in about 40 seconds. Then a gust of nitrogen gas rapidly cools the panels to 300 C in a fourth chamber, strengthening the material so that it can withstand hail and high winds.'"
Their stock has grown spectacularly since the IPO and there is a large investment from the Walton family (insert TV joke here)
G'night, John-boy.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
So what you are saying is that you want solar panels that are powered by the dark?
Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
Hey. I like my stuff.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
Thanks for yet another dose of eastern urban bigotry. -1 Redundant.
Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
I think you may be seriously underestimating the deliciousness of nachos.
Albeit not from the 7-11.
Given how much the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has done to promote and encourage the use of atomic power, I'd say you're probably right.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
Well, if this 'cadmium' "can't be destroyed", why don't we just stop production?
I would be very interested in hearing about anyone's efforts to stop the production of cadmium.