Traditional solar panels are bulky and fragile. They are made from materials like glass, silicon wafers and aluminum that are expensive and difficult to install. But just imagine an ultra-thin, flexible, and affordable solar panel that could be attached to almost any surface, whether it be vertical, horizontal or even curved, to capture solar energy.
This is exactly what Sunflare, a Los Angeles-based startup has developed. Sunflare has unveiled an ultra-thin CIGS solar panel that can be attached to any surface with just a layer of tape like wallpaper. They have named it Capture4.
Capture4 is ideal for areas inaccessible to traditional panels
- The panel is just a few micrometers thick. It does not require an aluminum frame nor does it need to be placed on a rooftop.
Capture4 beats traditional solar panels on every front
- Compared to crystalline silicon, Sunflare’s CIGS solar panel does not use a glass substrate. It has thinner layers of semiconductors and is environmentally cleaner because it does not use toxic chemicals.
- These thin-film solar cells are made with copper, indium, gallium, and selenide (CIGS). They generate around 10 percent more power and weigh almost 65 percent less than the traditional panels.
- At a comparable cost of just $1.07 per watt, Sunflare’s CIGS solar cells are affordable, too.
Image courtesy Sunflare
