Production Process
Each of our production steps is geared towards achieving high intrinsic throughput so that we can produce solar cells and panels with superior cost and capital efficiency:
1. Nanoparticle Ink.
Nanosolar nanoparticles shown to the right are 20 nanometers in size, equivalent to 200 atoms in diameter. We have developed a proprietary ink formula and techniques for fabricating our nanoparticles that are non-agglomerating and that produce high-quality coatings.
2. Printed Foil.
The nanoparticle ink is printed onto a specially prepared proprietary aluminum metal foil using high-throughput industrial printing techniques that work in normal atmosphere, with no cleanroom required.
3. Cell Formation.
The resulting two kilometer long roll of solar cells is completed by adding fingers and a back contact capable of efficiently carrying high current with minimal optical and resistive loss. The solar-electric foil is then slit and sheeted into pieces to form individual solar cells. Cells are individually tested and sorted into performance bins based on electrically matched characteristics.
4. Panel AssemblyCells are interconnected into series circuits and laminated into frameless, glass/glass solar panels. By using cells from matched performance bins, losses within a panel are minimized to improve field panel performance and reliability.
Our process culminates in a leading cost-efficient solar panel that is guaranteed for twenty-five years.
