The 3 GW Initiative
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opment of organic electronic structures that could provide the potential for low-cost solar energy. In the long term, such advances have the potential to reduce the cost of solar cells by a factor of 10. Such a reduction could greatly facilitate the global applications of solar energy in both the developed and the developing world. However, additional research is needed to improve the efficiencies of the solar cells and the stability of the organic electronic structures for rural and urban electrification (Figure 5).4 Ongoing materials research efforts in this area are motivated by issues related to charge transport across bilayers and bulk heterojunctions and polymer/interfacial stability. This is especially true for organic solar cells and organic light-emitting devices, which are essentially solar cells run in reverse. Before closing, it is important to note that recent advances in research have resulted in a rapid increase in the efficiencies of organic solar cells from about 1% to 6%.5 If the current trend continues, it is likely that organic electronic structures could soon become competitive alternatives to commercial siliconbased solar cells that have efficiencies between 5% and 15%. This has motivated an integrated research effort in the global materials community.
a
b BILAYER Aluminum
BULK HETEROJUNCTION +
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PEDOT:PSS
ITO
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Aluminum
Acknowledgments PEDOT-PSS
Plastic foil
Plastic foil
Light
Light
MDMO-PPV PCBM
W.O.S. acknowledges the financial support of USAMI through a grant from the Division of Materials Research (DMR 0231418) of the National Science Foundation. Appreciation is extended to the Program Manager, Dr. Carmen Huber, for her encouragement and support.
ITO
MDMO-PPV PCBM
References
1. Improving Lives: World Bank Group Progress on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Fiscal Year 2006 (World Bank Group, Washington, DC, December 2006). 2. M. Hankins, Solar Electric Systems for Africa (Commonwealth Science Council, London, 1995). 3. T. Otiti, W.O. Soboyejo, Perspect. Glob. Dev. Technol. 5, 69 (2006). 4. S. Forrest, P. Burroughs, M. Thompson, IEEE Spectr. 37 (August 2000). 5. K. Kim, J. Liu, M.A.G. Namboorthiry, D.L. Carroll, Appl. Phys. Lett. 90, 16311 (2007).
Figure 5. Organic electronic structures for rural and urban lighting: (a) flexible organic solar cells and (b) schematic of possible layered structure. Note: MDMO-PPV, poly[2methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene]; PCBM, [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester; PEDOT: PSS, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate).
The 3 GW Initiative Tim Palucka (Science Writer, USA)
California continues its tradition of leading the United States in environmental stewardship through the California Solar Initiative (CSI), a $3.3 billion program established in January 2006. The goal is to generate 3 GW of electricity by 2017 through photovoltaic methods by installing solar cells on the roofs of existing and new residential and commercial buildings (see Figure 1).1 CSI will “reduce our output of gr
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