Comments on: Apollo Solar Energy Engages Chief Technical and Business Advisor

By: Jack Lifton

Jack Lifton — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 03:36:56 +0000

Tek,

The main use for indium is in ITO, indium tin oxide, the transparent conductor used in modern displays. Japan uses 80% of the world’s indium production mainly for displays and for lasers. I will be speaking on the subject of” The Critical Materials for Thin-Film Photovoltaic Cells and Their Influence on the Future Spread of Technologies” at the China New Energy International Forum & Fair in Chengdu (Sichuan Province) on September 28-30 of this year. I will adress the supply issues for cadmium, tellurium, selenium, indium, and gallium, the critical elements for CdTe and CIGS thin-film PVCs there. I will piblish my speech in early Sept on TMR. Suffice it to say that China is once again doing very well in yet another critical rare metals end-use sector.

By: Tek

Tek — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:09:32 +0000

Jack, I was reading a related article about indium supplies. Will CIGS photovoltaic products be faced with a potential shortfall as we’re seeing in REEs right now?

By: Tek

Tek — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:56:37 +0000

Jack’s in the right place again. With new thin film , high volume production, high efficiency technologies evolving everyday in the solar pv field, they are certainly going to need expert advice on rare earths. Unfortunately it seems that North American firms hoping to capitalize on green technology will be put behind the 8-ball just like what is happening in the REE mining and process space. But current obstructionist political “wisdom” says that setting a national course for alternative and off grid energy development is just too “socialistic”. Nevermind that those overseas “socialistic policies” are handing our asses to us. How about a discussion about reindustrializing this nation’s energy development into the 21st Century without all the red baiting?