505.218.7228 info@osazda.com
1451 Innovation Parkway SE, Suite 600 Albuquerque, NM 87123

Products & Solutions

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Osazda Energy is providing materials engineering solutions to improve solar cell and solar module reliability with our special metal matrix composites that have been proven to electrically bridge stress-induced cracks that self-heal to regain electrical continuity. By incorporating nanomaterials into solar cell metallization, Oszada Energy has been able to increase the crack-tolerant performance of solar cells.

FIGURE A. Electroluminescent image of a silicon solar cell with electrically bridged cracks (A), partially bridged cracks (B) and fully isolating cracks (C). Cracks that start as type “A” can progress to type “B” and “C” cracks as a result of additional stress. From Kontages, Solar Energy Materials 2011.

Crystalline solar cells for all applications (terrestrial, space, unmanned aerial vehicles, etc.) are becoming thinner and thinner in order to save cost, reduce weight and in some cases improve performance. In addition, solar modules (assemblies of cells) are moving to thinner and lower weight designs. These changes mean that solar cells will be subjected to higher stresses, due loads from wind, snow, handling, temperature extremes, etc., and the cells, being thinner, are more likely to crack. The performance of cracked cells degrades when the crack in the semiconductor propagates through the metallization on the cell. When this happens, the cell can suffer from partial or complete electrical loss as seen in Figure A.

A study of terrestrial solar panel degradation over time shows that cell cracking and delamination are the main degradation mechanisms (see blue shaded area in figure below from IEA PVPS Review of Failures of Photovoltaic Modules 2014). Reducing the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) from solar power is of critical importance to improving the adoption of solar energy. The LCOE can be reduced by various methods, including lowering solar panel costs and improving efficiency, but one of the most important methods is to increase the panel life from the current 25 years to 40 or even 50 years. To enable this increase in panel life, addressing degradation from cell cracking is extremely important.

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Learn more about how MetZilla Paste Technology and MetZilla Plate Technology are changing the solar energy industry and making cell crack degradation a thing of the past. Then see how our technology can help you save money, time and the consequences of cell cracks and micro-cracks on long-term cell degradation – and let MetZilla protect you from the expense, and inconvenience, of unnecessary cell replacement.

A unique solution that takes industry standard ink and modifies it by adding in multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

A faster, more cost-effective, and crack tolerant metallization process that replaces traditional methods in depositing metal contacts.

Learn more about how MetZilla is changing the solar energy industry