Elongate solar cells for energy generation for wireless applications and portable power

This paper presents the use of elongate silicon solar cells for applications requiring high efficiency, lighweight, flexible modules able to operate under a range of light conditions. The elongate cells can be produced using a number of methods, and have the potential to achieve efficiencies above 20%. The cells exhibit a high degree of mechanical flexibility, and cell efficiencies remain at greater than 95% of the initial value after 100 000 non-critical flexures. Micro-modules of elongate cells can be constructed with flexible transparent protective packaging materials, with both rollable and foldable modules possible.