Here Comes Second Generation Printed Electronics

Photovoltaics
Potential markets for low cost printed and thin film photovoltaics vary from feeding national power grids to use on smart packaging and toys. We need photovoltaics that is one tenth of the manufacturing cost and installation cost of today’s silicon solutions and with none of their supply shortages. Within reason, it will not matter if the replacement has a larger footprint, particularly if it is flexible and/ or transparent. If its efficiency is 5-10% vs double or treble that for silicon, it will not matter in most applications because the other benefits will prevail. For example it can go over a window or conform to the shape of a vehicle. However, it is a challenge to achieve the 10,000 hours life necessary for an entry level printed product and 50,000 hours for mainstream use. The same can be said of OLED displays, signage and lighting on flexible film but progress is being made and products are starting to sell.