Jan Schelling, Solar Technology Manager, Energy, U.S.
"This film is as thin as a strand of hair, and the beauty of it is that it produces electricity directly from the sun. And it’s very flexible, so it can be used in many different ways.
It’s made by Ascent Solar, based in Denver, Colorado, in which Hydro began investing in 2007. They use a unique technology that can be put into a number of products, from rooftop materials to building systems, which is what we’re primarily interested in when it comes to further applications.
We’re looking at how this film can be integrated into our building façade systems and sun-shading products. It really takes the concept of using our aluminium building solutions to help manage heat and light in buildings one step further – and saving even more energy in the process.
The film is made up of an absorber layer that converts sunlight into electricity, based on what is called CIGS photovoltaic technology.
The modules can be connected in a series, like a very thin battery – positive to negative – on large surface areas.
Ascent Solar uses a unique manufacturing process to produce these photovoltaic modules on large-format plastic rolls. This is one of the main advantages of thin-film solar modules over other types – the whole value chain is under one roof.
Ascent Solar has been fine-tuning its production techniques at a test facility, and now is moving into new, larger production facility, where they’ll have a line starting up in 2010 that has the annual capacity to produce film representing 30 MW of electricity generation. Ascent Solar’s modules are already achieving good efficiencies. With production economies of scale and technological advances, everything is becoming cheaper fast.
We really believe solar energy is here to stay."
Solar park structures
Our aluminium extrusion components are used in the frames and support structures of industrial-scale solar energy parks in the U.S. and Europe. We are a full-service partner, delivering container loads of frame kits on time to demanding construction schedules.
Joining forces
We have invested in two ventures involved with making silicon-based solar energy products: a joint venture with Umicore of Belgium to produce solar-grade silicon for use in solar cells, and in NorSun, which produces monocrystalline silicon wafers for solar cells.
