The electrochemical Dye Solar cell was invented in 1988 by Professor Michael Graetzel of Lausanne Polytechnique, Switzerland. The “Graetzel” dye cell is based on a layer of nano-sized titanium dioxide particles impregnated with dye. Dye cells have long been a subject of intense academic interest as more than 50 university research teams around the world have worked to enhance their lifetime, size and efficiency. This technology is now ready for commercialization into solar panels with 3GSolar a recognized leader in the field.
Dye cells employ relatively inexpensive construction materials including glass, titania powder and carbon powder. Other cell materials such as dye and electrolyte will decrease in price as DSC enters mass production. Dye cell manufacture is based on screen printing equipment rather than vacuum systems and does not require silicon.
3GSolar found successful solutions to the challenge of current collectors for large dye cells. This includes not only the current collector design but also invention of the unique materials needed for the collectors. 3GSolar current collectors are stable in dye cell electrolyte, are fully integrated into the cell structure, do not interfere with cell electrochemistry and are highly conductive. This current collector solution carries 3A of current in 15 cm X 15 cm 3GSolar dye cells.
3GSolar has to date 11 patents pending. These include intellectual property developed at Bar Ilan University and acquired by 3GSolar.
Our Milestones
- 3GSolar has developed a design that reduces the power losses that have limited other dye cells, allowing larger cells to be built.
- Our developments allow an increase in active cell area, increasing efficiency.
- We have feasibility prototypes of 15 cm X 15 cm cells, including robust current collector grids and sealing methods.
- Plan in place for 7% cells of 15 cm X 15 cm size.
Competitive Advantages
- Our designs cut out the most expensive raw materials significantly reducing costs per peak watt.
- Manufacturing lines for 3GSolar’s DSC technology can be cost-efficiently constructed at less than 25% of the size required to reach economies of scale for thin film and crystalline silicon manufacturing facilities, and can be constructed in a fraction of the time and with lower operating costs. This ability to rapidly and cost-effectively build highly efficient manufacturing lines that will produce low cost solar panels will make 3GSolar the de facto choice for solar energy in emerging and other cost sensitive markets.
- The manufacturing line costs 40% less than the cost of a silicon line per megawatt output. Furthermore, the 3GSolar line will operate efficiently in an 8 megawatt size. This means that manufacturing can be put in place at 15% of the capital cost of a typical silicon photovoltaic line.
- Our technology allows solar to undercut costs of gasoline and diesel generators in sunny areas for off-grid use, without subsidy.
- Under low light, DSC is more efficient than silicon and thin film.