physics

Solarmer Energy, Inc.

Solarmer Energy, Inc. is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Solarmer Energy, Inc. rather than just read about it. In short: Solarmer Energy, Inc. was a solar energy company that was developing polymer solar cells, a new type of solar cell; specifically, a subtype of organic photovoltaic cells (OPV). They claim their solar panels can be made flexible, transparent, and will cost less to manufacture than traditional cells.

Key takeaways

Solarmer Energy, Inc. belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Solarmer Energy, Inc. to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Solarmer Energy, Inc. from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Solarmer Energy, Inc. was a solar energy company that was developing polymer solar cells, a new type of solar cell; specifically, a subtype of organic photovoltaic cells (OPV). They claim their solar panels can be made flexible, transparent, and will cost less to manufacture than traditional cells. Solarmer was initially founded in March 2006 to commercialize a portfolio of technology developed by Prof. Yang Yang at the University of California, Los Angeles and has since established its own facility in El Monte, California. In addition to this portfolio, Solarmer also licensed the patent rights to a new semi-conducting material invented at the University of Chicago.

Technology

Solarmer’s technology is based on using a semiconducting plastic as the active material in the solar cell, which is what converts light into electricity. In contrast to other photovoltaic technologies, this technology is capable of producing electricity using any kind of lighting, although the lower the light, the less electricity produced. However a major setback of this technology is the relatively low efficiency and, more importantly, lack of stability. Solarmer does have one of the highest efficiencies in the industry with 8.13% (July 2010), but this is still lower than other solar technologies.

The plastic active layer is extremely thin (only a few tenths of a micrometer thick), which is why these solar cells can be made both flexible and translucent. It is also part of the reason that the manufacturing process is likely to cost less, since only very small amounts of material are needed to make these solar cells. The other reason is that the materials can be printed, like inks, in a much less capital-intensive process than traditional silicon-based solar cells. There are several different polymers that can be used as the active layer and these polymers come in a variety of colors. Solarmer is planning to use this feature of the technology to make solar cells in different colors.

Applications Organic solar cells are also typically cheaper than conventional solar cells. Solarmer claims that their organic solar cells could be used on any portable device that requires power, as well as smart fabrics and building materials.

Production Solarmer is developing a pilot line capable of manufacturing OPV samples and plans to initiate the process of component integration in 2009. They expect to complete their pilot line by the 2nd Quarter of 2010, delivery of samples by the end of 2010, and product launch by early 2011.

See also Organic electronics Printed electronics Organic photovoltaic Building-integrated photovoltaics

References

Notes

Solarmer Energy, Inc. Breaks Psychological Barrier with 8.13% OPV Efficiency Solarmer Breaks World Records for Plastic Solar Technology Organic photovoltaics promise more Solarmer Energy, Inc. Picks Up Speed in Flexible Solar Panel Development Plastic solar cells for portable electronic devices Solarmer Energy Sees Excellent Potential for Plastic Solar Cells Archived 2009-04-11 at the Wayback Machine Plastic Solar Cells For Portable Electronic Devices Coming Soon

External links Official website

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Solarmer Energy, Inc.

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Solarmer Energy, Inc. claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Solarmer Energy, Inc. before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Solarmer Energy, Inc. ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Solarmer Energy, Inc.

In research: Solarmer Energy, Inc. appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Solarmer Energy, Inc. in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Solarmer Energy, Inc. is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics American companies established in 2006, Companies based in Los Angeles County, California, El Monte, California, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Solarmer Energy, Inc. outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Solarmer Energy, Inc. in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Solarmer Energy, Inc. means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Solarmer Energy, Inc. out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Solarmer Energy, Inc. in simple terms?

Why does Solarmer Energy, Inc. matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Solarmer Energy, Inc.?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Solarmer Energy, Inc..