Ascent Solar Technologies, a US manufacturer of copper indium gallium-selenide (CIGS) thin-film PV products, has achieved a 15.7% power conversion efficiency with its Titan module, measured at air mass zero (AM0), which is the commonly used standard spectrum outside the Earth’s atmosphere. It noted that the efficiency rating was achieved at production scale.
The panel measures 30 cm2 with an output of 15.7 W. It is approximately 0.03 mm thick, weighing just over 8 grams, with a power density of 1,960 W/kg before encapsulation, according to the company.
Ascent Solar said in a statement that the product is part of its previously announced strategy to increase the applicability of its CIGS technology for satellite and other spacecraft applications. It recently announced that it signed a master services agreement with US-based Novi Space for a customized “rollable PV array blankets” to be integrated in a satellite current bus.
Novi Space is developing a constellation of satellites that will be equipped with high-performance multi-sensor imaging and computing platforms, with its first commercial satellites set to launch aboard SpaceX Transporters in 2026.
Ascent Solar CEO Paul Warley told pv magazine that the company's technology will “undergo vibration and other standard testing” with Novi. “There are several tests that must be done to allow a satellite onto a rocket. Tests depend on the specifics of the satellite and can vary, but a vibration test is required by everyone,” said Warley.
Under the terms of agreement, Ascent Solar will receive in-orbit performance data about the solar arrays, which it said will enable it to “accelerate its solar PV product iterations and validate enhancements based on usage.” No further technical details about the rollable arrays for Novi Space were shared due to non-disclosure agreements, according to Warley.
Ascent Solar has a production facility in Colorado with 5 MW nameplate capacity. Its products are designed for rapid delivery within six to eight weeks.
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