Manufacturing solar power inverter costs

The majority of these second-generation hybrid solar inverter cells are placed on glass, so they remain rigid. However, Global Solar (www.globalsolar.com) announced in March 2008 that it has developed a proprietary process for manufacturing flexible thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) photovoltaic modules. While other companies produce CIGS on glass, Global Solar is thought to be the only company with CIGS on flexible materials. CIGS cells are deposited on a stainless steel backing which also makes them lightweight and durable.

Organic Solar Cells

Plastic or polymer-based photovoltaics, developed in the '90s, are considered third- generation solar cells. Also called organic solar cells, these cells use photoactive or photosensitive dyes and conducting polymers that can be manufactured at high speeds and low temperatures.

Manufacturing solar power inverter costs can be reduced as a result of using a low temperature process similar to printing instead of the high temperature vacuum deposition process typically used to produce the first and second generation cells. Reduced installation costs are achieved by producing flexible rolls instead of rigid crystalline panels.