In an industry focused on reducing costs, components and installation time, solar energy experts have developed various system upgrades, such as common rails and pre-installed electronics, to increase profits. Much of the development occurs in an attempt to reduce balance of system (BOS) costs. But what if solar panels themselves—the inflexible (literally and figuratively) core of every project—could result in significant cost and time savings?
New Mexico-based mPower Technology is exploring this question with its tiny silicon solar technology called DragonSCALE (Semiconductor Active Layer Embedded Solar). By shrinking solar cells and stringing them together into blocks just a few millimeters wide, mPower can assemble “flexible” solar products that function similarly to traditional high-efficiency solar panels but install much faster.
The idea for microsolar energy was born at Sandia National Laboratories, where scientist Murat Okandan worked on microelectronics.
“I worked on a variety of projects, some of which involved biomedical implants and extremely precise sensors,” he said. “On the [solar] side, we looked at how to take the incredible capabilities of microelectronics and microsystems and combine them with terrestrial photovoltaics. The overall goal is to make solar better, not just at a higher level, not just in terms of efficiency, but also in terms of efficiency. Also in terms of speed of deployment, operations and reliability.”
Okandan founded mPower Technology in 2015 with his microsystem photovoltaic (MEPV) idea and a portfolio of intellectual properties built with US$20 million in R&D funding and additional resources from various groups. The company, through Sandia or mPower representatives, currently holds 24 patents related to pixel-sized silicon solar cells that can be assembled into mesh solar panels. DragonSCALE connects blocks of silicon cells in series and in parallel via back contacts.
“We can get high voltage very quickly and we don’t need as much metal, so we can reduce weight and save cost,” Okandan said. “The interconnected grid of these cells also ensures robust electrical performance. If you shade part of that single cell, only the shaded part will not produce energy. Everything else is still connected and the power goes out.”
Silicon itself is rigid, which is often a problem with traditional large-format crystalline silicon solar cells—there is no flexibility. They must have structural support, usually through glass. The pixel-sized mPower silicon cells are still rigid, but their smaller size allows the entire module to be more compliant and flexible in its lattice connections.
While thin-film solar panels can be flexible and other silicon startups are exploring advanced design options, mPower executives believe their tiny product has more advantages. Kevin Hell became CEO in 2019 to position the company for growth in three key markets: space, traditional photovoltaics and the Internet of Things (IoT). Space applications require inexpensive and reliable solar panels that can be “rolled” or “folded” to reduce space on the rocket. The traditional PV market is also looking for systems that are powerful, lightweight and easy to deploy. The IoT market is looking for small and flexible options to power sensors, wearable devices, biomedical applications and more. mPower will address the needs of all three markets using microscopic silicon cells.
“The silicon trade is very mature and strong, both in terms of production and volume,” Hull said. “When you think about scaling, silicon is really the only viable option. It comes down to supply chain and economies of scale, and silicon is certainly the leader.”
mPower is currently producing prototypes and undergoing extreme testing in the space environment. If the panels can withstand the intensity of the outside space, then ground application will go smoothly. Hell said he expects MEPV technology to hit the space market first, but the company is already in contact with solar partners in traditional residential and commercial solar markets—some roofing companies are looking to enter the solar market, and existing ones Solar energy suppliers are looking for new solutions. . Licensing of new products.
“Our go-to-market strategy is to partner with major players who already have distribution rights,” Hull said. “They will license our technology and develop it together.”
“By looking at the key factors that enable faster and better deployment of solar power, we were able to select the right parts and use our technology to overcome some of the pre-existing challenges,” he said. “We are looking for a suitable partner. no matter what the product is, the supply chain or delivery mechanism.
Okandan plans to offer easy-to-install solar panels for the commercial market and solar shingles for the residential market. Perhaps long solar panels sit on a flat commercial roof, or a flexible solar array is shaped like shingles. As mPower seeks to leverage existing silicon and semiconductor supply chains, Pixel Solar products will have performance and efficiency metrics similar to traditional solar panels, but the real benefits will be lower costs, faster installation and increased resiliency.
“Really the biggest benefit is the balance between system cost and lower installation cost,” Okandan said. “We can do everything on the roof completely differently.”
Hell said mPower expects its pixel solar technology to enter the space market soon and the traditional photovoltaic market next year. Mostly, the company is happy to help bring solar energy to new areas.
Kelly Pickerel has more than a decade of experience covering the U.S. solar industry and is currently the editor-in-chief of Solar Power World magazine.
Shout out to this innovative New Mexico company and Sandia National Laboratories! The Magic Land has the sun and the wisdom to become the world leader in solar energy production!
Post time: Nov-16-2023