solar photovoltaic panels

Not sure how someone could have tried it, there doesn't seem to be any information on their site about how to get the stuff, also no numbers as to how much power can be generated by the product.

TD

Hi,

The Konarka website ( www.konarkatech.com) has a "common Q&A" link in the contact section. If you have a look there, you will see that they are not selling directly to consumers or solar installers - the product will only be available from their application partners. They won't send out samples either.

Deseng

I read some articles about them a year or two ago... since then, their website has gone kind of secretive while they are in development with a bunch of private and government investors.

The panels are supposed to be several times as efficient as current panels, mainly due to the use of a wide bandwidth of usable light. Using UV efficiently means they can work on cloudy days; using visible light well means that your cell phone could charge on your desk from your office lights, etc. The production process is cheap - almost the same as making traditional photo film and uses no silicon. Using a plastic substrate, they can be made in any shape and color. Very cool stuff.

They seemed to think development would go pretty fast - I think they were expecting to release products starting next year.

The development of solar panels has been progressing for several years. There are continued claims for improved efficiency and design. But this is mostly talk with little action. The commercial Solar panels available today are still primarily silicon based and are still in the price range of $4.50 per watt. The solar panels and the require "other" equipment maintenance is also somewhat beyond the technical know of the average consumer and forces an additional service contract, raising the cost still further. Until solar panels can be supplied at turnkey $0.50 per watt, it will remain the toy of the wealthy to play with while the sun shines.

Progress at last in the design of panels

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100617143930.htm

I had the good fortune of meeting with an engineer at Konarka a few years ago; your thought that the company has "reinvented ph solar panels" is an apt statement. The company founder (a professor who, unfortunately, has passed away) and his team at UMASS Lowell have broken new ground in the field of photovoltaics and the current business team is advancing their work to the commercial realm. There is a good combination of technical savvy and business acumen at Konarka.

That is not to say, however, that they have resolved all of the technical issues...yet. And, truth be told, I had hoped that their products would be more available by this time. But, from what I read in the press, their work continues AND others have accelerated the pace in allied areas. Daystar Technologies and others (many others) are using similar approaches to produce low-cost photovoltaics and my guess is that as nano-material technologies progress, these companies will thrive.

this is promising.

i thought , with other std photovoltaic silicone panels, to boost the sunlight by using a parabolica and mirror mylar. Carefull with the possibility of cooking the panels, an angulation apparatus could be adapted to the panels as the sun's power increases, a bit like a d-power on a kite. my preliminary conclusion was to put the panels in fresh water translucent plastic bag with a cooling coil. another idea was to put the panels on a revolving tower, all of this would be controled by thermostats, so technical and so many possibilties to fail.

But, with the parabolica, i can reduce the amount of electricity needed for many household uses, or boat uses. i can even make a propane refrigerator work with the heat. ie no propane needed ... i can create my own water maker, steamer (genset ?) , etc.

The greatest advantage is to have a continuous recharge of batteries at a lower cost and light weight. These panels have to come out in the market before 2009.

Food for thought.

Hi Yellowcat,

I just put (2) 130 watt Kyocera panels on my 44ft cat. In 2 years or so I will be putting on more. Not necessarily Kyocera. I will have room for roughly 130 inches by 60 inches to fill. Keep me in mind if you have something to market or test.

hi sail4ever,

where do you sail ? This new type of solar panels will be interesting, for its performance and flexibility. I have a friend who is rebuilding his fishing lodge up north near La Tuque , quebec, canada. He is planning a solar system for his batteries. He is checking this new company in lowel mass. . Lightning struck him and his lodge, he is analysing what attracked the lightning. it could be either the tv antenna, vhf antenna (not very likely) , or could it be his dc batteries with the solar panel ?. We are reflecting on this.

130 " x 60", that is interesting.

flat shape or some curvatures ?

YC

if you are interested looking at a picture of the fishing lake, i got a few decent pictures.