Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd...

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Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Technology Optical Engineering 2014 February 2014

Transcript of Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd...

Page 1: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Michael Schwartz

Chief Technology Officer

3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd.

Leading Developer of 3rd Generation Photovoltaics

3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Technology

Optical Engineering 2014February 2014

Page 2: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Outline

- Company Background

- What is a DSC?

- Why DSC?

- 3GSolar R&D Program

- 3GSolar Markets

- Summary

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Page 3: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Background on 3GSolar Photovoltaics

- Start-up company located in Jerusalem, Israel

- Team of 15 with broad experience in solar energy, dye cells, batteries, capacitors and materials

- Management headed by Barry Breen (CEO) and Dr. Jonathan Goldstein (President)

- Recent funding round successfully completed with Solar Partnership (UK), Israel Electric Co. and Ningbo (China)

- Aggressive business plan in place to raise efficiencies and compete in the builidng-integrated and plastic PV market sectors

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Page 4: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Background on 3GSolar Photovoltaics

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Page 5: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

What is a DSC?

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- DSCs first invented in 1991 by M. Gratzel and B. O’Regan

- Described as an artificial photosynthesis

- Cells are comprised of a photoanode of nano-titania coated with a self-assembling monolayer of dye, a redox electrolyte and a nanocarbon-based counter electrode on glass (cathode)

Page 6: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

What is a DSC?

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- Titania- Nanosized 15-40nm with high surface area

- Dyes- Ruthenium-based using polypyridyl ligands- Phthalocyanines and porphyrins- Wide range of organic dyes- Need to have proper energetics

- LUMO above TiO2 conduction band

- HOMO below electrolyte redox potential

- Electrolyte- Iodide/triiodide couple most common but record performance with

Co2+/3+ couple- Also solid-state hole conducting polymers

- Cathode Catalyst- Pt most common but carbon nanotubes, graphene and others used

Page 7: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

DSC State-of-the Art

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3GSolar Relative Performance

Page 8: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Why DSC?

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DSCs Have Several Advantages over Conventional PV

Features Advantages Benefits

Screen Printing Manufacturing

Inexpensive Process Low cost of production

Not Vacuum BasedLow plant Cap Ex

Smaller Plant Sizes –profitable at <20MW

Nanoparticle Ceramic Structure

Low Light Operation

For outdoor applications, can produce up to 40% more power per rated watt than conventional silicon over the course of the day; For indoor

applications produces >100uW/cm2 where amorphous Si produces <5uW/cm2

Transparent Can be used in windows, skylights, sunroofs, etc.

Thin FilmFlexible Can be shaped to fit surfaces of consumer

electronics or building structuresLightweight Useful for portable devices

Dye as Light Absorber Range of Colors Adding and/or matching of colors to building interior or exterior surfaces

Page 9: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Why DSC?

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DSCs Have Several Advantages over Conventional PV

Features Advantages Benefits

Screen Printing Manufacturing

Inexpensive Process Lower cost of production – $0.35/W

Not Vacuum BasedLower plant Cap Ex - $0.35million/MW

Smaller Plant Sizes –profitable at <20MW

Nanoparticle Ceramic Structure

Low Light Operation

For outdoor applications, can produce up to 40% more power per rated watt than conventional silicon over the course of the day; For indoor

applications produces >100uW/cm2 where amorphous Si produces <5uW/cm2

Transparent Can be used in windows, skylights, sunroofs, etc.

Thin FilmFlexible Can be shaped to fit surfaces of consumer

electronics or building structuresLightweight Useful for portable devices

Dye as Light Absorber Range of Colors Adding and/or matching of colors to building interior or exterior surfaces

Page 10: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

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3GSolar DSC module shows >10% difference in cumulative energy production per watt over the course of a sunny day

6:00 9:00 12:00 15:00 18:000

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0Pyranometer3GSolar DSC Modulec-Si Module

Time of Day

Nor

mal

ized

Ene

rgy

(Wh/

Wp)

Sola

r Irr

adia

nce

(W/m

^2)

>10%

Why DSC?

Page 11: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Why DSC?

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Better Light Conversion Over Course of Day

Page 12: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Why DSC?

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Better Light Conversion Over Course of Weeks

0

25

50

75

100N

orm

alize

d Ac

cum

ulat

ed

Ener

gy

3G Solar DSC Module 1

Si Module

12% difference

0255075

100125150

Nor

mal

ized

Accu

mul

ated

En

ergy

3G Solar DSC Module 1

Si Module

18% differenceSystem down

Page 13: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Why DSC?

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Better Light Conversion under Indoor Conditions

At 200 Lux, the 3GSolar DSC is 9.5 times more efficient than an 18.5% efficient mono-crystalline Si cell, and 3.5 times more

efficient than an amorphous Si cell.

Page 14: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Why DSC?

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DSCs Have Several Advantages over Conventional PV

Features Advantages Benefits

Screen Printing Manufacturing

Inexpensive Process Lower cost of production – $0.35/W

Not Vacuum BasedLower plant Cap Ex - $0.35million/MW

Smaller Plant Sizes –profitable at <20MW

Nanoparticle Ceramic Structure

Low Light Operation

For outdoor applications, can produce up to 40% more power per rated watt than conventional silicon over the course of the day; For indoor

applications produces >100uW/cm2 where amorphous Si produces <5uW/cm2

Transparent Can be used in windows, skylights, sunroofs, etc.

Thin FilmFlexible Can be shaped to fit surfaces of consumer

electronics or building structuresLightweight Useful for portable devices

Dye as Light Absorber Range of Colors Adding and/or matching of colors to building interior or exterior surfaces

Page 15: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Why DSC?

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DSCs Have Several Advantages over Conventional PV

•Transparent DSC module installed in algae growing tank producing both biomass and electricity in

same area.

Page 16: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

3GSolar R&D Program

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Technical Issues

- Our goal is to achieve 10% efficiency in a large (225cm2) cell with 20 years stability

- Areas requiring additional R&D to achieve this goal:- Use of larger portion of visible spectrum, particularly into the IR- Higher voltage operation- Electron transfer kinetics, especially for non-iodide electrolytes- Better use of module area (active vs. total module area)- Flexible/Plastic- Transparent

Page 17: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

3GSolar R&D Program

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Technical Issues

- Our goal is to achieve 10% efficiency in a large (225cm2) cell with 20 years stability

- Areas requiring additional R&D to achieve this goal:- Use of larger portion of visible spectrum, particularly into the IR- Higher voltage operation- Electron transfer kinetics, especially for non-iodide electrolytes- Better use of module area (active vs. total module area)- Flexible/Plastic- Transparent

Page 18: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

3GSolar R&D Program

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Capturing More Light

Now

71%

0

20

40

60

80

400 500 600 700 800

IPCE

[%]

Incident Photon to Current Efficiency

- How?- New dyes and dye combinations- Optical effects- Upconversion or downconversion

Page 19: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

3GSolar R&D Program

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Durability Under Sunlight

Efficiency ratio for each individual cell in the two year experiment performed outdoors in Jerusalem. The efficiency ratio is the ratio of efficiency at the start of the experiment to efficiency at the end of the experiment.

Page 20: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

15X15CM PLASTIC DEMO CELLS

3GSolar R&D Program

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Flexible/Plastic Cells

- Inexpensive- Glass large DSC cost component

- Can be conformal to surface- Embedded power source for small

devices, energy harvesting- We’ve achieved an efficiency of 7.8%

under 1 sun

Page 21: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

3GSolar Large Module

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32 Series-Connected Cells of 225cm2

Page 22: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

3GSolar DSC Markets

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Building-Integrated Photovoltaics

Curtain walls and windowsOff-grid power

PV for greenhouses

Overhangs, awnings & parasols

Page 23: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Healthcare

3GSolar DSC Markets

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Energy Harvesting/Embedded Devices

Sensing3GSolar Plastic

CellConsumer

Wireless devices

Eliminate batteries in low power consumer electronics

Security cameras

Page 24: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Summary

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- DSC is the 3rd generation of photovoltaic technology- Poised to enter the market

- DSCs have several advantages over conventional PV- Low Cost- Low-Light Operation- Potential for Transparency

- 3GSolar has fabricated the world’s largest single cell- Performance of glass and plastic cells at the State-of-the

Art for large areas

- Technical issues still remain- 3GSolar has an active R&D program to solve these

remaining issues

Page 25: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

Acknowledgements

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- 3GSolar Coworkers- Barry Breen (CEO), Jonathan Goldstein (President), Katya

Axelrod, Itzhak Barzilay, Nir Stein

- Academic Partners- Prof. A. Zaban (BIU)- Prof. D Oron (WI)- Prof. D Cahen (WI)- Prof. D. Aurbach (BIU)- Prof. C. Sukenik (BIU)

- Support from the Office of Chief Scientist (Eurostars, COBRA and NES)

Page 26: Michael Schwartz Chief Technology Officer 3GSolar Photovoltaics Ltd. Leading Developer of 3 rd Generation Photovoltaics 3GSolar Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell.

THANK YOU

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