Conventional solar cells

A technology that can truly help to solve the climate change crisis has been in small-scale use for decades: wafer-based solar cells – or solar panels.  The main reason for the rapid  growth of the solar cell industry is that solar cells are becoming dramatically cheaper and better.

The Norwegian solar energy company Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) is amongst the world's biggest suppliers of wafers and solar panels. REC’s development work has contributed to huge cost reductions. REC's calculations show that in several markets, such as Japan, Australia and California, solar cell energy will be economically competitive with few or no subsidies by 2012, and in some markets even earlier.

"Over the past ten years costs have fallen by almost ten percent a year because the technology has developed and the volume has increased", says REC's Director of Technology, Erik Sauar. Solar cells are also relatively uncontroversial to install. "This is a silent and emission-free technology, without moving, dangerous parts", Sauar points out.

In warm parts of industrialised countries, such as Spain, Japan and the US, residents use most electricity when the sun is shining because they want to keep rooms cool by means of air conditioning. This is an ideal starting point for deploying wafer-based solar cell technology on a large scale.

Read More:
http://solarnor.no/
http://www.norsuncorp.no
http://www.conergy.com
http://www.gizmag.com/worlds-largest-solar-power-plant-china/12806/