Solar Power World

NREL builds a better, cheaper solar cell

A new low-cost etching technique developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory can put a trillion holes in a silicon wafer the size of a compact disc. As the tiny holes deepen, they make the silvery-gray silicon appear darker and darker until it becomes almost pure black and able to absorb nearly all colors of light the sun throws at it. At room temperature, the black silicon wafer can be made in about three minutes. At 100 degrees... Read More

Semicustom cam followers guide the manufacturer of String Ribbon silicon wafers

By Leslie Langnau, Managing Editor A simple change to “older” technology ensures a cutting-edge wafer system keeps solar cell production moving.The bulk of all solar panels made today are based on silicon wafers. In many manufacturing facilities, these wafers are produced using conventional methods such as energy-intensive casting and cutting of large silicon blocks with diamond saws; not what you would expect from a hi-tech clean energy product such as solar... Read More

Semicustom cam followers guide the manufacturer of String Ribbon silicon wafers

By Leslie Langnau, Managing Editor A simple change to “older” technology ensures a cutting-edge wafer system keeps solar cell production moving. Although these are not the exact components used by Evergreen Solar on their String Ribbon Wafer furnaces, shown are several cam followers designed and manufactured by IntechThe bulk of all solar panels made today are based on silicon wafers. In many manufacturing facilities, these wafers are produced using conventional methods... Read More