IBM, Partner Develop Solar Technology

米 IBM と東京応化工業が太陽電池技術で提携。東京応化工業って知らない名前。

Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co. will work with IBM to develop processes and equipment for the production of thin-film photovoltaic solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. Terms of the collaboration weren't disclosed, but IBM said it expects to license the technology and, eventually, collect royalties, rather than building its own large-scale, manufacturing capability.
Dr. Guha said IBM believes its technology will have an efficiency rating of 15%. That would be lower than the 20% efficiency of thin films using silicon-deposition technology for space and military applications. But it would be sufficient to produce electricity at a cost of less than $1 per watt, a benchmark used frequently in the industry to describe the capital cost of generating capacity. He said that would allow it to produce electricity at a cost of 10 cents to 15 cents per kilowatt hour, which is in the range of current electricity prices in some places. "We think we can get to that," he said.