Dec 1 2010
Konarka Technologies, a firm located in Lowell, Massachusetts, stated that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has declared that Konarka’s plastic solar cells are more efficient solar cells, which attained an efficiency of 8.3%. This is the highest percentage evidenced by NREL for organic photovoltaic cells.
Konarka is one of the few companies producing organic photovoltaics and has a production unit to manufacture flexible solar cells through roll-to-roll production method using plastic. The third-generation solar cell production company is still looking for a possible commercial market.
Thin-film organic photovoltaic solar cells are using cheaper materials, which makes it inexpensive when compared to other solar technologies. However, the efficiency of organic solar cells has restricted the usage in applications such as portable solar chargers for electronic devices and entrenched solar cells in structures.
Konarka has raised more than $150 million for the production and marketing of its organic solar cells. The company has entered into a number of commercial deals with firms including Konica Minolta. However, usage of its products in commercial applications is still in the nascent stage. In 2009,a German firm, Newberg Energy, was selling bags with an entrenched solar plastic sheet, which can power small electronic devices such as music players and mobile phones.