Energy & Lighting: Thin Films for Solar Panels, Nanostructured Tools for Light Trapping, Optical Films for Beam Shaping
As a fundamental component of modern life, we need reliable and affordable energy sources for daily operations and future innovations. With a growing demand for sustainable and clean energy solutions, the industry is rapidly evolving and adapting to meet the challenges of the future. With advances in technology and decreasing costs, solar energy has become an increasingly viable alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based sources of energy. In addition, evolving lighting technology is transforming the way we illuminate our world, with energy-efficient LED lighting becoming increasingly popular.
The energy and lighting industry will continue to innovate and evolve as a cornerstone of an increasingly sustainable and prosperous future. At 3D AG, we place great importance on sustainable manufacturing, as well as we strive to contribute solutions and services for the development of products for clean and efficient energy.
Efficiency Increase of Solar Panels with Nanostructured Tools for Light Trapping
Several factors can impact the efficiency of solar panels, but the most significant hurdle in their advancement is optimizing their capacity to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight. Light trapping involves designing the surface of cells in a way that they can capture and retain more sunlight, which is typically done by specialized materials that are textured or patterned, or through the use of nanostructures. The patterns or structures will scatter or redirect the light to prevent them from reflecting away from the panel. 3D AG is specialized in the processing and replicating of micro and nanostructures and we have supported various projects by manufacturing durable nickel molds for the mass replication of nanostructures for light trapping.
Some research projects have shown efficiency gains up to 30%, which display the inclusion of nanostructures as a successful approach. If your developed nanostructure is only a small surface area, we also have the capability to recombine the structure to a larger surface area for large format tooling for the mass manufacturing of solar cells. Light trapping is crucial for the development of renewable energy and for making solar energy more cost-effective, and our solutions at 3D AG for replicating structures have a large impact in this development.
WHY 3D AG?
3D AG’s manufacturing site is energy neutral. With our rooftop and facade solar panels we produce more than we consume, achieving a net-zero building. Not only do we hold value in sustainable manufacturing, we offer solutions for the production of clean energy. From films for the optical performance of LED’s, to solutions for flexible solar panels and tools to increase the efficiency of solar panels by light trapping.
UV Embossed Polymer Thin-Film for Photovoltaic Cells in Solar Panels
Flexible solar panels use thin-film photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. Unlike traditional rigid solar panels, flexible panels are made using lightweight, flexible materials like polymers, which can be bent or curved to fit a variety of surfaces. Some benefits of flexible solar panels include their portability, lightweight design, and ease of installation. They are often used in applications where traditional solar panels are not suitable, such as on curved or irregularly shaped surfaces, or in remote or off-grid locations. The limitations are that they may have lower efficiency, a shorter lifespan or that they are more susceptible to damage from environmental factors like wind and hail due to their flexibility. One of the core benefits is that they can have very low production costs.
3D AG has been mandated with the production of UV embossed polymer films for flexible solar panels. We have expertise in transferring micro and nanostructures from nickel master tools to UV embossed thin-film, and will support in finding the right parameters for cost-efficient manufacturing. For successful UV embossing, structures need to be well demoldable, and the appropriate resin and material need to be chosen to achieve high speed UV roll-to-roll replication.
Optical Films for Beam Shaping of LED Source for Increased Performance
Optical films are thin sheets of material that are designed to manipulate the properties of light. They are commonly used in lighting applications to improve the performance of luminaires, including the distribution of light and the reduction of glare and hotspots.
One application of optical film in luminaires is beam shaping. There are different types of optical films used to shape the beam of light emitted by an LED source – Microprismatic films contain small prisms that reflect and refract light for a uniform beam with reduced glare, whilst diffusers scatter the light in multiple directions, creating a softer, more uniform beam.
3D AG’s nickel molds are used for the manufacturing of thin film to improve the optical performance of films. Our durable shims guarantee structure transfer with high fidelity and can be produced with different specifications to accommodate different manufacturing technologies.