Waste Equals Cost. Less Waste Equals Equals Lower Costs.

Standard process versus 1366 Direct Wafer process

People frequently ask me about waste in Solar PV. Clearly, given that no fuel is consumed, no waste is produced from the use of a solar energy system to generate electricity. PV solar modules are not flammable (below something like around 1,000^o C) so even if the building burns down under the modules – which could produce toxics – there is no waste from the solar energy system.

However, there is a carbon footprint in transport and installation, and there is waste associated with the production of solar modules. This is about to be reduced.

Massachusetts based 1366 Technologies developed a manufacturing process which cuts waste in manufacturing solar wafers by about 65%, and could cut PV module costs in half. Since the modules are about 50% to 60% of the cost of the system, using this process can cut system costs by about 25% to 30%. The 1366 Tech process replaces a 4-step process with a lot of waste with a one-step process with significantly less waste. According to 1366, their “Direct Wafer process produces the world’s first compatible, low-cost “kerfless” wafer that requires < 10% of the electricity of standard wafer manufacturing.”

As reported in Business Wire, here, GE and Vantage Point Venture Partners invested in 1366 Tech.

The name comes from the amount of solar energy – 1366 watts – that hits each square meter of earth.