New Solar Film Utilizing Indoor Light to be Commercialized by 2010 in Japan

Copyright Konarka Technologies, Inc.

Toppan Forms Co., a Japanese information management solution company, announced on March 16, 2009, that by 2010 the company is going to commercialize a power generating organic film, a solar cell which can utilize low-intensity light such as indoor light. This thin-film solar cell is based on technology developed by Konarka Technologies, Inc., an American organic solar cell development company.

Currently, the majority of solar cells on the market are made of silicon and have some limitations for wider application. They need to be installed outside where a lot of sunshine is available, and they are not portable due to their weight and thickness. They also require a large initial investment that takes time to recover. The new photovoltaic film, however, can convert indoor light to power. It is as thin as 400 micrometers and weighs only 500 grams per square meter, which makes it more flexible and versatile than conventional solar cells. The new film is also cost-effective as it can be manufactured by traditional printing coaters.

Toppan Forms intends to apply the new thin-film solar cell to various goods: furnishings such as window shades and curtains; office equipment such as partitions and whiteboards; products for commercial facilities such as posters and showcases; fabric products such as clothes and lap robes; and portable products such as handbooks and roll up chargers.

Toppan Forms Co. official website
http://www.toppan-f.co.jp/
Konarka Technologies, Inc. official website
http://www.konarka.com/index.php

Posted: 2009/06/27 06:00:15 AM