SOL-GEL GLASS PRISMATIC COVER FOR A PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL

OVER THE PAST 6 YEARS, ENTECH HAS DEVELOPED A UNIQUE PRISMATIC COVER FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS. THE NEW CAST SILICONE COVER OPTICALLY ELIMINATES THE USUAL SHADOWING LOSS CAUSED BY METAL GRIDLINES ON THE ILLUMINATED CELL SURFACE, THEREBY BOOSTING CELL PERFORMANCE TO PREVIOUSLY UNATTAINABLE LEVELS. THE NEW COVER HAS BEEN USED TO SET TEN WORLD RECORDS FOR CELL PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING 31% IN NASA-LEWIS TESTING FOR A MULTI-JUNCTION SPACE CELL. HOWEVER, THE SILICONE MATERIAL HAS SERIOUS DRAWBACKS IN SPACE, INCLUDING UV-INDUCED DARKENING AND OXYGEN EROSION IN LOW EARTH ORBIT. OVER THE PAST 6 YEARS, GELTECH HAS DEVELOPED A UNIQUE SOL-GEL CASTING PROCESS FOR MAKING HIGH-QUALITY OPTICAL GLASS PRODUCTS. GELTECH IS THE ONLY COMPANY IN THE WORLD THAT IS SUCCESSFULLY MAKING AND SELLING SOL-GEL GLASS LENSES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO MARRY ENTECH'S PRISMATIC COVER TECHNOLOGY WITH GELTECH'S SOL-GEL CASTING PROCESS TO FORM AN EFFICIENT STABLE RELIABLE ALL-GLASS PRISMATIC SOLAR CELL COVER.