Over the past couple of years, solar power has managed to ascertain itself as one of the main alternative power sources for our planet's future, being both green and completely replenishable. However, the costs of capturing the Sun's power and turning it into electric energy are still pretty high, but constant research and development is carried out in this field in order to lower the prices and increase the power output.

One of the best examples of the leaps ahead in this area is a new development by ENN Solar Energy, who has just introduced the launch of new silicon thin film solar products with the innovative "tandem junction" technology.

A subsidiary of ENN Group, China's largest privately owned clean energy provider, ENN Solar Energy produces its solar PV modules with sizes up to 5.7 square meters using the new tandem junction technology, providing significant cost benefits. With this technology, two layers of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon are applied to the glass substrate. The layer of amorphous silicon absorbs short-wave light, while the other layer absorbs long-wave light.

This way, the photovoltaic panels are able to efficiently convert solar energy into electricity even in less than perfect weather conditions, such as low or diffused light and in hot climates. The energy payback time of ENN Solar modules is only half of that for crystalline silicon modules, setting standards for the industry. The company is mass producing its PV modules in order to reach 60 MW production capacity by the end of this year.

"ENN Solar is working to become the technology and cost leader in silicon tandem junction thin film module manufacturing," says Dr. Rick Wan, General Manager of ENN Solar Energy. "We constantly are improving the efficiency of the modules, while reducing production costs. Our goal is to dramatically increase the performance of the solar modules, while cutting their cost by at least 30% compared to current price levels. We are working on reaching 10% stabilized conversion efficiency in the next two years."

And we hope that they'll manage to attain this goal, because it will certainly translate into cheaper, greener energy for all of us.


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