CIS-based thin-film PV technology in solar frontier K.K.

CuInSe2(CIS)-based thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technology is recognized as a second-generation thin-film PV technology and its module efficiency has currently reached a level comparable to that of the market-dominant wafer-based polycrystalline-Si PV technology. Solar Frontier K.K. (SFKK) employs not only non-Si PV, but also Cd-free and Pb-free concepts in its products. Based on this concept, SFKK has already moved to the Giga-watt production stage in 2011. In this paper, current status and future prospects of SFKK are reviewed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.