Thin film solar is a fascinating technology and area of scientific research.  

Instead of the traditional solid solar cell, thin film solar offers a unique way of approaching solar energy.

Thin Film Solar Production
The production of thin film solar uses specialized layers of sprayed on particles and a manufacturing process that aligns these on a nano-molecular level in a way that can harness energy from the sun.

As a leading edge area of solar research, there are only a few factories and companies involved in this exciting field.  

The best thing about thin film solar is that it can be applied virtually anywhere.   Surfaces which are normally wasted space or even net energy losses can be converted into energy producers with the careful application of specialized solar films.   Glass is a particularly good surface, and the film can be made in such a way that it is transparent or provides tinting. 

Solar Film

Solar film is applied in sheets or rolls, similar to thermal insulating film.  It can be attached to almost anything, and can be used to coat an entire skyscrapers worth of windows if desired.  While efficiencies are low, production costs are too, and the cumulative effect on decentralized energy is important.  

There is a massive amount of glass in every city, and even in individual homes.   Application of solar film either in the initial manufacturing stage or as an energy retrofit can instantly turn any window into a power source which harnesses the energy of the sunlight passing through it.

Energy Independence

In an age where energy independence is critical, on both a national and local scale the potentials for this technology are staggering.   

It is easy to imagine the cumulative effect of every building in the country being converted to energy production within a very short period of time.   Massive energy costs could be diverted to better uses or simply conserved for the use of future generations.  

Thin film solar is a good candidate for economy of scale production and should be looked at with a fresh eye.   By using the latest in science on the nano and molecular scale, this product has the potential to become a significant part of the country’s energy future.

The factory setup is similar to that used by conventional window tinting firms, and the product can be distributed in rolls or sheets of thin film solar which can be rapidly distributed.   Pilot production plants have begun in the last few years and as technologies improve efficiencies should increase.   Typically large scale manufacturing brings costs down considerably.

As part of an overall energy strategy thin film solar cannot be ignored.

Visit our resources section to learn more about the companies and technical aspects of the production of solar film.