• Login
    • Join
  • FOLLOW:
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Printed Electronics
    • Raw Materials
    • Equipment
    • Services
    • Suppliers Guide
    • Resources
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Printed Electronics
  • Raw Materials
  • Equipment
  • Services
  • Suppliers Guide
  • Resources
  • Current & Past Issues
    Features
    Editorials
    Digital Edition
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Editorial Guidelines
    Breaking News
    Experts Opinion
    Financial News
    Manufacturers News
    Mergers and Acquisitions
    Online Exclusives
    Personnel
    Product Releases
    Suppliers News
    Live From Shows
    Displays and Lighting
    Photovoltaics
    Printed Batteries
    Printed Circuit Boards/Membrane Switches/In Mold Electronics
    Flexible and Printed Electronics
    RFID and NFC
    Sensors and Wearables
    Smart Cards and Packaging
    Touch Screens
    Adhesives, Barriers and Encapsulants
    Chemicals, Metals and Powders
    Conductive Inks and Coatings
    Electronic Materials
    Film, Paper, Glass and Substrates
    Graphene, Perovskites and Carbon Nanotubes
    Nanomaterials
    Printed Electronic Components
    Research Reports
    Semiconductors and Quantum Dots
    Energy Curing Equipment
    Lab and Testing Equipment
    Manufacturing Equipment
    Printing Equipment
    3D Printing
    Contract Manufacturing Services
    Product Design and Testing
    Research and Consulting
    Research Institutions
    Research Reports
    Universities
    Equipment
    All Companies
    Materials
    Categories
    Converting
    Printed Electronics Systems
    Associations
    Research and Services
    Used Machinery
    Add New Company
    Industry Events
    Live from show events
    Podcasts
    Videos
    Blogs
    Slideshows
    Infographics
    Webinars
    Whitepapers
    Equipment and Services
    Glossary
    • Magazine
      • Current & Past Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Suppliers Guide
      • Suppliers Guide
      • Add Your Company
    • Printed Electronics
      • Photovoltaics
      • Printed Batteries
      • Printed Circuit Boards/Membrane Switches/In Mold Electronics
      • Flexible and Printed Electronics
      • RFID and NFC
      • Sensors and Wearables
      • Smart Cards and Packaging
      • Touch Screens
    • Raw Materials
      • Adhesives, Barriers and Encapsulants
      • Chemicals, Metals and Powders
      • Conductive Inks and Coatings
      • Electronic Materials
      • Film, Paper, Glass and Substrates
      • Graphene, Perovskites and Carbon Nanotubes
      • Nanomaterials
      • Semiconductors and Quantum Dots
    • Equipment
      • Energy Curing Equipment
      • Lab and Testing Equipment
      • Manufacturing Equipment
      • Printing Equipment
      • 3D Printing
    • Services
      • Contract Manufacturing Services
      • Product Design and Testing
      • Research and Consulting
      • Research Institutions
      • Research Reports
      • Universities
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Infographics
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live from show events
      • Webinars
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Online Exclusives

    The Future of Organic Photovoltaics

    Leaders from Heliatek, ASCA and Epishine discuss OPV applications and the technology’s future for the IoT, BIPV and more.

    The Future of Organic Photovoltaics
    Heliatek’s HeliaSol. (Copyright: Heliatek)
    David Savastano, Editor05.18.22
    Editor’ Note: In Part 1, we discussed the challenges facing OPV, and the growth in the industry. Please see this link for more information.

    More than a decade ago, organic photovoltaics (OPV) was seen as a breakthrough technology, one that would change the way we all live. Much has gone on since the initial rush of investment, and many companes have gone by the wayside.

    Still, OPV makes a lot of sense, as it can utilize low-cost roll-to-roll manufacturing to generate power for buildings, vehicles and much more. The fact that OPV also can generate light indoors, and can be customized and even flexible are ideal for designers.

    Today, there are a few companies that have made significant headway in the OPV market. They are working on different markets and improving the technology well past where it was a decade ago. OPV will not replace traditional photovoltaic solutions such as silicon and cadmium telluride, but it has its own applications where OPV can flourish.

    Key Markets for OPV

    Initially, OPV manufacturers were targeting large-scale operations, but the low efficiencies and unsure lifetimes of the products were a considerable concern. Today’s OPV companies have different applications in mind.

    Stephan Kube, head of marketing for Heliatek GmbH, said that wherever solar solutions are needed, Heliatek find its applications.

    “The question rather goes into the direction of applications;” Kube continued. “Our key message really is that our market is basically where conventional PV solutions reaches their limits in terms of weight or surface restrictions. It’s a complementary solution that makes more surfaces, especially on buildings, suitable for PV electricity generation.”

    That doesn’t mean that OPV can compete with silicon-based photovoltaics, but will remain a niche, at least in the outdoor markets. For example, in the case of building integrated photovoltaics, the weight of a silicon PV cell makes it unusable for hanging on the side of the building, and the ability to fit on curved surfaces is another advantage for OPV.

    “Wherever you can install conventional PV panels, it’s the better choice, because the silicon technology is 20-30 years more mature, with high efficiencies, lowest prices and proven lifetime,” added Kube. “This is something we cannot compete right now with our young technology, but we are convinced that we have the ingredients to drive efficiencies further up, cost down and prove long lifetime.”

    Hermann Issa, SVP business development and project management at ASCA, observed that OPV plays a key role in many different markets, as it transforms any surface into a power generator, both outdoors and indoors. Issa noted that OPV’s advantages include the ability to be customized according to shape and even curvature.

    “It is thin, flexible, lightweight and can be produced in different colors,” Issa said. “ASCA markets custom shape solar solutions to perfectly fit with the needs of the project and be seamlessly integrated in the environment of use. OPV is an answer for almost every market when energy is needed and other technologies are not appropriate.”

    Interestingly, OPV can work indoors, and this is an area of interest to Epishine.

    “Currently Epishine is targeting the indoor light energy harvesting market,” said Emma Woxlin, co-founder of Epishine. “We believe that this is the market where OPV will play a key role in the short term. Looking beyond, we believe that the next market where Epishine will play a key role is in building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Our vision is to produce organic solar cells that will contribute to accelerating the global shift to sustainable energy solutions.”

    Issa also reported that there is important potential in the small electronics sector and for architecture and design fields.

    “In small electronics, OPV can be used to power the booming world of IoT devices as it has very good behavior in low light conditions. It allows companies to get rid of batteries which represent an important environmental issue, lower the maintenance cost and improve the lifespan of the devices,” said Issa.

    “In architecture and design, OPV can be directly integrated in the building envelope, even for curved architecture,” Issa added. “It is integrated in façades, glazing, guardrails, shadings system. Every construction can produce energy for more sustainable architecture. OPV is a renewable energy with a low environmental footprint, the lowest in comparison with other solar technologies.”

    There are OPV products on the market, with large-scale manufacturing for the most part still in the future.

    “Our key product is the HeliaSol in the dimensions 436x2000 that we produce in our series manufacturing, still in small volumes, because we simply need to make it still a little bit better before producing in large quantities,” said Kube. “So, the answer is yes and no. Yes, because we have small volumes that we use in first customer projects, and no, it’s not available in large quantities and not in all markets. The small volumes now basically go to selected key customers.”

    “Epishine is selling OPV light energy harvesting modules to our customers,” said Woxlin. “Some of them are on the market already and some of them are doing proof of concept and pilot series.”

    “Some companies commercialize standard products for the building and the IoT industries,” said Issa. “ASCA commercializes bespoke solutions adapted to the use case and the needs of the client : almost any shape or color are possible to be seamlessly integrated where the solar solution is used.”

    Issa noted that ASCA has OPV solutions in use worldwide.

    “Many players are integrating OPV in their IoT products,’ added Issa. “For example, ROOMZ has launched of a solar kit - ROOMZ Solar Kit - integrating an ASCA solution to upgrade its room reservation management solution. The kit replaces the batteries of the display screens to make them energy self-sufficient and reduce their environmental footprint. We should see the first ranges of products commercialized by 2025. Next, OPV will then become the standard for IoT sensors.

    “Collaborations with designers and architects are constantly increasing,” added Issa. “Last summer, ASCA and the glass processor BGT installed transparent, energy-generating glass balustrades on condominiums in Stuttgart Möhringen. The design studio of Marjan van Aubel also designed the colorful solar-paneled roof of the Netherlands pavilion integrating ASCA modules during the Expo 2020 Dubaï. In spring 2022, a new building in Basel will be inaugurated integrating more than 12,000 diamond-shape ASCA modules powering a zero-energy media façade. We expect an exponential growth of architectural projects integrating OPV thereafter.”

    The Future of OPV

    According to industry leaders, the future of OPV is bright, although there is still much to do.

    Woxlin noted that Epishine is targeting electronic manufacturers where product development usually takes two to three years, meaning long sales cycles for Epishine.

    “When entering the BIPV market, the regulations and requirements will be very high and both sales cycles and market adoption is expected to take even longer,” added Woxlin. “At the same time, we see a rising trend on the market that companies are accelerating the use of environmentally friendly options that could speed up the market.”

    Kube noted that OPV initially was of interest in the R&D world, since there was research on, simply because of the advantages and the potential applications.

    “The biggest challenge really is to produce at scale and manage the triangle of efficiency, cost and lifetime,” added Kube. “If you are the pioneer, trying to solve that, you can easily imagine it’s a huge challenge, because no one can really help us on that way. The way we overcome it is simply with our team of experts and our network of strong partners and institute. We believe we will get better step by step. It’s nothing that happens over night, but we make good progress.

    “But in the common perception, it’s now just starting to gain traction, when real products become available. That is why it’s such an exciting time, to see products slowing coming onto the market and finding its customers and applications. You can imagine, it’s something we are very proud if after years of R&D,” Kube concluded.

    The question then becomes as to when OPV will become more common in the marketplace.

    “I think in terms of market relevance it’s quite easy to say,” said Kube. “We can produce max 80-100 MW/year and the global PV market its more than 100 GW right now. So, it’s a niche product and the market is simply dominated by silicon PV, which will likely not change. But we believe there is a huge niche we target, and in that niche, I think we can be really successful, because there are still not so many solutions available or if so, not with the combination of lightweight, thin, flexibility and as green as we are.”

    “In the indoor light energy harvesting market, we see that OPV will become more and more common during the coming one to five years,” Woxlin noted. “Further, we believe that Epishine will enter the BIPV market with OPV before 2030.”


    Loading, Please Wait..
    Trending
    • HMicro, STMicroelectronics Offer Wearable Wireless Biosensor Platform
    • LG Display Announces Winners Of This Year’s OLEDs GO! Competition
    • Impinj Launches E910 RFID Reader Chip For Next Generation Enterprise IoT
    • EMagin Awarded $2.5 Million US Army Contract For OLED Microdisplay Prototype Project
    • EMagin Receives Coveted Display Week Award, Looks Ahead To Future
    Breaking News
    • Confidex’s Carrier Dual Delivers Shared RAIN RFID and NFC Memory
    • Weekly Recap: eMagin, Identiv, and Japan Display Top This Week’s Stories
    • Epishine is Building a New Solar Cell Factory in Linköping, Sweden
    • Toppan Establishes CVC Fund and Investment Management Company in the US
    • EU-Consortium FlexFunction2Sustain Creates World’s First OPV Cell on Recycled Material
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    Winter 2021

    • Printed Electronics Now’s International Suppliers’ Directory
    • The Automotive Market and Flexible and Printed Electronics
    • Flexible and Printed Electronics in Healthcare
    • Flexible and Printed Electronics Make Gains in Smart Packaging
    • PAPERONICS: Low-cost multisensory paper and packaging applications
    • View More >

    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe
    Nutraceuticals World

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    Pharmavite Expands in Ohio with $200 Million Investment
    Nestlé Health Science Expands in New Zealand with Deal to Buy The Better Health Company
    Younger Consumers Drive Growing Demand for Ingestible Beauty and Skin Care Products
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    Rhino Shield Updates Formula
    Azelis Acquires Chemical Partners, Strengthens Leadership in Africa and Middle East
    Emmanuelle Bromet Named Arkema Sustainable Development VP
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    MPO's Most-Read Stories This Week—July 2
    OmniGuide Awarded FDA Clearance for RevoLix Hybrid Thulium Laser
    Pancryos Forges License Agreement for Microencapsulation Device
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Bayer Opens New Research and Innovation Center at Kendall Square
    Lonza Names Maria Soler Nunez as Head, Group Operations
    Eurofins DiscoverX Opens Shanghai Office
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    Dexlevo Introduces Beauty Treatment technique, ‘GOURI’
    Revision Skincare Exec Wins Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
    Latest Updates About Cosmoprof North America
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Professional Salon Brand Rusk Introduces New Hair Color Products
    Nails Inc. Rolls Out Made in Mykonos Nail Polish Quad for Summer 2022 Online at Sephora
    JLo Beauty Expands with Overnight Hustle AHA + BHA Resurfacer
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    Quad Added to Membership of US Small-Cap Russell 2000 Index
    Epson Now Shipping SureColor T7770D 44-Inch Technical, CAD and Graphics Printer
    Smurfit Kappa Invests €11.5 Million in Zülpich Paper Mill Project
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    UPM Raflatac boosts operations in US, All4Labels returns to HP and more
    Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives to exhibit at Labelexpo Americas for first time
    CELAB Europe wins Paper Recycling award
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    Weekly Recap: Lifetime Technical Achievement Award Presented to Richard Knowlson, Alkegen Completes Luyang Acquisition & More
    Glatfelter, Blue Ocean Closures Partner with Absolut
    What You’re Reading on Nonwovens-Industry.com
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    ODT's Most-Read Stories This Week—July 2
    NuVasive Inc. Opens Singapore Experience Center
    Pedicle Screw Systems Market to Top $3B in 2027
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Confidex’s Carrier Dual Delivers Shared RAIN RFID and NFC Memory
    Weekly Recap: eMagin, Identiv, and Japan Display Top This Week’s Stories
    Epishine is Building a New Solar Cell Factory in Linköping, Sweden

    Copyright © 2022 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login