Monday, October 27, 2008

Seunghun Eu's PhD Dissertation

This link was kindly provided by Dr. Seunghun Eu (劉 承訓) from Kyoto University entitled:
Porphyrin-and Phthalocyanine-Sensitized Solar Cells

DSC News Updates

Daido Steel - Streamlines photocurrent generation, plans on using concentrators to up power generation by 1.6%
Daido Steel developed a light-concentrating solar power generation system. From December this year, Daido plans to establish a plant in the Aichi Airport New Energy Exploration Research Area of Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture. From next year, actual experiments and implementations will be undertaken for a four-year period.
The system developed by said company consists of a dome-shaped plastic lens used to concentrate light to 550 times and the power from this light is delivered to a "power generation cell". A 165 mm lens is partnered with a small 7 mm power generation cell. Since it can gather stronger intensity sunlight, this system is 1.6 times more efficient than previous systems. In addition to the smaller area of the power generation cell, the feasibility of high-volume production of the lens, the cost of this system is almost the same as previous products.
(2008.10.27 Nikkei News by Mr. H Tsuka)

Using the desert for solar power generation -- Japan's technological achievement with batterie s and power lines
A massive concept to install a large-scale solar power station in the desert and distribute the power to the surrounding countries has been set in motion. After considering the land area, sunlight duration, and technological issues, the International Energy Agency (IEA) plans to embark on this venture in the Sahara and Gobi deserts staring next year. Towards the realization of this concept, there are great expectations on Japan's technology of excellent solar cells and electrical power lines.
(2008.10.26 Nikkei News by Mr. H Tsuka)

Taiwan increases production of solar cells.
Taiwan widely known as the "silicon island" due to its large manufacturing plants for semiconductor devices now aims to become the "solar island", shifting its focus to solar panel production due to the ever declining prices of semiconductor products. Investments are surging and will eventually surpass solar cell production in Japan.
(2008.10.27 Nikkei Industrial News by Mr. H Tsuka)

Monday, October 20, 2008

DSC News Updates

British company Torotrak to join Low-carbon vehicles consortium
Torotrak Plc is set to join the LCVIP (Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform). The LCVIP is a joint venture of the British government's Department of Tourism and the TSB (Technology strategy board).
(2008.10.20 Nikkei Industrial News by Mr. H Tsuka)

Mitsubishi Materials begins sale of solar panel silicon materials with 2-3% higher efficiency
Thanks to one of its subsidiaries, Mitsubishi Materials will start the production of polycrystalline silicon ingots with better efficiency compared to those currently available on the market. The Akita-based JEMCO Inc. headed by Company President Akio Uchida has poured 1.4 billion yen in the construction of a new plant which will triple its annual production to 290 tons.
(2008.10.20 Nikkei Industrial News by Mr. H Tsuka)

Chemical Industry News Special: Organic EL Solar Cells
The necessity of organic electroluminescence (EL) is rapidly expanding. According to the Yano Research Institute, the shipment of organic EL panels in 2008 is expected to be 7.3 times higher than last year's 110 million sheets. Assuming a similar increase in total revenue of 42.1%, it can easily exceed last year's 92.4 billion, reaching around 100 billion in profits. In the latter half of 2007, the increase in use of EL as the main display in cellular phones shows the growing need of EL panels in the industry.
(2008.10.16 Nikkan Business Line by Mr. H Tsuka)

Monday, October 6, 2008

DSC News Updates

■ Solar Wars 1: Sunlight shining towards the next generation, A solar concentrator power tower emerges in Spain. (2008.10.6 Asahi News)

■ Solar Wars 2: The rise of solar cells in Asia, Attracting factories from around the globe
(2008.10.6 Asahi News)

Panasonic stops commercialization of solar cells, Drastic reduction in R&D
(2008.10.6 Nikkan Business Line)

Kyocera will launch highly-efficient polycrystalline solar cells (17.5% efficiency) in 2009
Using back-contact technology, they surpassed their previous record of 16.5%. In the past few years, due to competition from abroad, Kyocera's shares dropped to 4th place but with the new product, they are planning a comeback.
(2008.10.6 Nikkei News)

First solar car race in Africa, Towards alternative energy education
The South African Solar Challenge is the very first solar car race in Africa. The two-week race ran from Johannesburg moving southwest to Capetown and back towards Johannesburg along the African peninsula's coastline through Durban with a total of 4,175 km. The aim of the race to inform people about alternative energy and advances in ecological technology. "Many people still do not know that a 6 sq meter of solar panel can move a car with speeds up to 160 kph.", organizers said.
(2008.10.4 AFP BB News)

Friday, October 3, 2008

CEATEC 2008

TDK: Implementation of solar and battery cell combination for electric power supply system will not use silicon but DSC for the solar cell component. The organic dye will be anchored on ZnO using a non-sintering, low temperature process. So far, an efficiency of 7.9% has been attained.

CEATEC Japan 2008 , a cutting-edge IT & electronics comprehensive exhibition, was held from September 30 to October 4 in Makuhari Messe. Including silicon technology, although there weren’t a lot of solar cell technologies on display, there were a lot of people having a great time in this marvelous event. For those who’d like a taste, today is the last day. To the organizers and participants, great job!

Some pictures from CEATEC 2008:


DSC News Updates

Sharp plans to increase thin-film solar cells by 40 times by 2016
(2008.10.2 goo News/Asahi News)

Sharp finished increasing the production capacity of thin film Si solar cells in its
Katsuragi factory in Nara, and was ready for production from October 1, 2008. The per annum capacity of the factory was increased from the original 15 MW to the present capacity of 160 MW.
(2008.10.2 Tech-On!)

■ Indarra DTX clothing line from Buenos Aires, Argentina offers new line of solar cell clothes to provide power for mobile technology
(2008.10.3 Digital trends)

P.S. How is it different from this?



TDK plans to combine solar cell and battery cell technology
as an electrical power supply system in households to reduce CO2 emissions by 75%. Aims for self-manufacturing of production equipment and targets the introduction of technologies from top companies.
(2008.10.2 Nikkan Industrial News by Mr. H. Zuka)

Sharp begins high-volume shipment of 2nd generation thin-film solar cells
The Nara Katsuragi plant will start shipping from October 1, 2008. Sharp’s VP Hamano stated that Sharp aims to supply 50% of the world’s share in next- generation thin-film solar cells by 2012.
(2008.10.1 Kaden Watch and Reuters Japan)

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Introduction of Journal Publication

Mitsubishi Paper Mill’s D205 dye with 9.52% efficiency.
It’s a new world record for organic dyes in DSC.
Congratulations Itoh-sensei!

High conversion efficiency organic dye-sensitized solar cells with a novel indoline dye
Seigo Ito, Hidetoshi Miura, Satoshi Uchida, Masazaku Takata, Koichi Sumioka, Paul Liska, Pascal Comte, Peter Pechy and Michael Graetzel
Chem. Commun. 2008 DOI:
10.1039/b809093a

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

DSC News Updates

Strategy towards the future of new materials development
Organic thin film solar cells
Portable recharging made possible, Electrical outlets not necessary
(2008.9.30 Nikkei Business Daily by Mr. H Zuka)

Taiwan: Solar cell industry kicks off (2)
Aims for self-manufactureing of production equipment and targets the introduction of technologies from top companies
(2008.9.30 Nikkan Industrial News by Mr. H. Zuka)

Taiwan’s Neo-Solar Power Corporation aims to triple solar cell production capacity
to 70 GW per annum by 2010 through factory expansion
(2008.9.30 Nikkan Industrial News by Mr. H. Zuka)

Sanyo and ENEOS plan to cooperatively implement Si thin film solar cells by 2010
(2008.9.30 Tech-On!)

Sanyo Denki establishes a new company in Salem, Oregon USA.
In order to supply an expanding solar cell market, Sanyo aims to have a production capacity of 600 MW by 2010. In addition to the Sanyo Solar USA company, Sanyo is buildling a new factory to increase ingot and wafer production.
(2008.9.29 Sanyo Denki news release)

Bridgestone reinforces adhesive film production for solar cells
Bridgestone recognizes the increasing demand of adhesive EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) films for solar cells and thereby reinforces the production capacity of its Iwata factory in Shizuoka.
(2008.9.30 Nikkan Industrial News by Mr. H. Zuka)

Nanotubes

This video was released by EPFL.



Nanotubes fabricated using a similar method (via anodic oxidation of metals) applied for DSC technology were previously reported in the following patent released in 2005.

Title of Invention: Electrode and Functional Elements
Inventors: Takaya Kubo, 朝野 剛、錦谷 禎範
Applicant: ENEOS
Patent Publication Number: 2005-150278

While we’re at this topic, the first to apply TiO2 nanotubes for DSC were I and former Kyoto University Professor Adachi (at around the same time). To ensure priority over this work, I published the “humble” paper listed below. Thankfully, until this day, it has been cited a total of 72 times. (^_^)

Application of Titania Nanotubes to a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell
S. Uchida, R. Chiba, M. Tomiha N. Masaki and M. Shirai
Electrochemistry, 70(6), 418-420 (2002).