WHAT IS THIN FILM TECHNOLOGY?
Thin film solar technology is a second generation solar technology in which as little as one hundredth of the amount of raw materials are utilized compared to a traditional crystalline based solar cell. Among the current thin technologies include, amorphous silicon which utilizes a silane gas, as well as Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) and Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS). All of these technologies have penetrated the solar market. To date thin film technologies have not produced efficiencies on par with traditional crystalline silicon based solar cells and tend to have shorter product lifetimes.
