IBM planning to bring solar costs to $2 per watt

IBM has just squeezed the most power ever out of the smallest area of solar panel. By focusing the sun over 2,300 times, researchers were able to pull 70 watts of usable electric power out of one square CENTIMETER of silicon photovoltaic panel.

Of course, the concentrator itself is quite large. But as the silicon photovoltaics are undoubtedly the most expensive piece of any solar installation, decreasing the amount needed dramatically reduces costs.

Recently we reported on another company, Sunrgi, working on a similar technique, with similar claims of extremely inexpensive solar power. Both of these companies have had to face the same problem, keeping the photovoltaics from frying even when exposed to the power of thousands of suns. Sunrgi uses a proprietary cooling system, but this means that they can only concentrate solar power to around 1,600 times.

IBM, which has a lot of experience cooling silicon (though generally not in the form of photovoltaics) has a more advanced system.

The IBM team used a very thin layer of a liquid metal made of a gallium and indium compound that they applied between the chip and a cooling block. Such layers, called thermal interface layers, transfer the heat from the chip to the cooling block so that the chip temperature can be kept low. 

The really exciting thing about this story is that its coming from IBM. When we heard Sunrgi exclaiming that it was on the path to truly cheap solar, we were excited, but skeptical. That is, after all, a young company searching for funding.

But IBM has a lot more to lose in making claims that don't eventually pan out. In short, we believe IBM, and this is exciting.

Currently solar thermal projects, in which sunlight is focused in order to boil water and spin a turbine, are currently the cheapest way to get solar power. But IBM says that it thinks, if the silicon can be cooled effectively, concentrated photovoltaics could take over as the cheapest form of solar energy.

All I care about is that it gets cheaper ... and faster, and I really hope to see IBM bringing this technology to market fast.

Full press release