NSG TEC™ for Solar Applications
Overview
NSG TEC™ is a group of products, including a comprehensive range of TCO glass (Transparent Conductive Oxide coated glass), optimised to suit a variety of thin film photovoltaics, with different haze and conductivity levels. All our NSG TEC™ products are manufactured using a patented chemical vapour deposition process to produce a durable, on-line pyrolytic coating that may be heat strengthened or fully tempered, providing complete flexibility for photovoltaic module production.
Each of our products within the NSG TEC™ Range is targeted at a particular thin film photovoltaic technology. For a-Si, a-Si/μ-Si, CdTe and DSSC technologies, properties such as light transmittance, Transparent Conductive Oxide conductivity (sheet resistance) and light trapping (haze) can be optimized to meet individual customer requirements.
Used in Thin Film Photovoltaics, NSG TEC™ is a range of coated glass designed and optimised for each of the main thin film photovoltaic technologies, including amorphous silicon (a-Si), tandem (a-Si/μ/Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium (gallium) diselenide (CIS, CIGS) and dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSC).
Benefits
NSG TEC™ for solar applications offers following benefits:
- high light transmittance, medium to high conductivity, low to high haze properties TCO glass to suit all thin film photovoltaics,
- coating properties are resistant to heat (i.e. unaffected by very high processing temperature),
- can be fully tempered/toughened or heat strengthened without damage to the coating or drop in performance,
- durable on-line pyrolitic coating, making the product easy to transport, store, handle and process, reducing costs and lead Times,
- available on standard clear or low-iron glass, depending on the coating type,
- NSG TEC™ C15 available with a choice of buffer layers (NSG TEC™ C15M and NSG TEC™ C15D),
- sodium blocking performance,
- virtually unlimited shelf-life,
- available in a wide range of thicknesses, from 2.2 mm to 6 mm.
Brochures
NSG TEC™ Product Range
Each of our products within the NSG
TEC™ range is targeted at a particular thin film photovoltaic technology.
The NSG
TEC™ descriptive names indicate the technology to which the products are most suited as well as the corresponding technical values.
Higher haze values are desirable for thin film silicon technologies which benefit from the light trapping effect from light scattering TCO glass. Alternatively, other thin film photovoltaics like CdTe, offer good light absorption and do not benefit from a light scattering TCO glass. A smooth TCO glass with a low haze value will be required for those thin film technologies. All of our NSG
TEC™ products includes a sodium barrier layer which gives the product stability throughout the thin film photovoltaics manufacturing process and throughout the lifetime of the solar module.
| |
Technology |
Sheet resistance |
Glass composition |
NSG TEC™
|
A = amorphous silicon (a-Si)
T = tandem (a-Si/μ-Si)
C = cadmium telluride (CdTe) |
7 to 15 Ohms/sq |
X for low iron |
NSG TEC™ Sodium Block is used for CIS/CIGS applications. It includes a sodium barrier layer, which offers manufacturers improved product stability and increased process throughput. Low iron NSG TEC™ Sodium Block is used as substrate for solar mirrors in concentrated solar power applications. The sodium barrier layer offers improved product shelf-life and durability and can offer solar mirror manufacturers improved stability.
The properties of our main NSG TEC™ products are summarised in the table below:
| Product |
Thickness
(mm) |
Light
Transmittance
(%) |
Solar Direct
Transmittance
(%) |
Sheet Resistance
(Ohms/sq) |
Haze
(%) |
NSG TEC™ A7
|
2.2 |
82 |
70 |
7 |
5 |
NSG TEC™ A7
|
3.0 |
81 |
69 |
7 |
5 |
NSG TEC™ A9
|
3.1 |
80 |
70 |
8 |
8-12 |
NSG TEC™ A9X
|
4.0 |
80 |
72 |
8 |
8-12 |
NSG TEC™ A10
|
3.2 |
80 |
70 |
9 |
9-15 |
NSG TEC™ T11X
|
3.1 |
81 |
76 |
12 |
11-15 |
NSG TEC™ T12X
|
3.2 |
82 |
76 |
12 |
11-15 |
NSG TEC™ C10
|
3.2 |
83 |
72 |
10 |
1 |
NSG TEC™ C10X
|
3.2 |
84 |
75 |
10 |
1 |
NSG TEC™ C15
|
3.2 |
84 |
74 |
<15 |
0.6 |
NSG TEC™ C15D
|
3.2 |
81 |
71 |
<15 |
1-2 |
NSG TEC™ C15M
|
3.2 |
81 |
69 |
<15 |
1-2 |
NSG TEC™ Sodium Block
|
3.2 |
91 |
87 |
N/A |
0.5 |