Abstract
Flexible photovoltaics are covering the way to low-cost electricity. The build-up of organic, inorganic and organic–inorganic solar cells on flexible substrates by printing technologies is to provide lightweight and economic solar modules that can be incorporated in various surfaces. Progress of flexible and lightweight solar cell is interesting for many terrestrial and space applications that require a very high specific power. Thin-film solar cells on polymer films can produce more than 2KW\\Kg specific power. Flexible solar cells are proposed to open up a numerous of possibilities for enabling new applications in consumer electronics and space satellites. Recent research in thin-film electronics has been concentrated on the replacement of the traditional rigid glass plate substrate with plastic or metallic foils. Organic materials bear the potential to develop a long-term technology that is economically viable for large-scale power generation based on environmentally safe materials with unlimited availability. Organic and organic-inorganic photovoltaics (PVs) (third generation solar cells) continue to attract great attention from the PV community, due to their promising features such as low organic–inorganic cost, flexibility and light weight. In this chapter, many of the possible materials for manufacturing of flexible solar cells are discussed.
Highlights
IntroductionThe preparation of organic, inorganic and organic–inorganic solar cells over flexible substrates by often roll-to-roll printing technologies is to provide lightweight and economic solar modules that can be incorporated in various surfaces
Flexible photovoltaics are including the way to cheap electricity
The preparation of organic, inorganic and organic–inorganic solar cells over flexible substrates by often roll-to-roll printing technologies is to provide lightweight and economic solar modules that can be incorporated in various surfaces
Summary
The preparation of organic, inorganic and organic–inorganic solar cells over flexible substrates by often roll-to-roll printing technologies is to provide lightweight and economic solar modules that can be incorporated in various surfaces. Progress of flexible and lightweight solar cell is fascinating for many terrestrial and space applications that require a very high specific power. The glass substrate should be substituted with a lightweight and flexible thin substrate, such as metal or polymer foils to maximize the high specific power. This gives flexibility to the solar panels to change to any kind of shape for incorporation in buildings, and for application in a variety of products. The dependence on the electric grid (fossil fuels) would decrease and help to reduce pollution [8]
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