ShowaShell Solar Co. Ltd exhibited its second-generation CIGS (copper indiumgallium selenide) photovoltaic panel at PV EXPO 2010, a trade show thattook place last week in Tokyo.

The PV panel was developed with a technology that will be introducedto the company’s third plant, which is now being built in MiyazakiPrefecture, Japan. Showa Shell Solar showcased it under the name "SolarFrontier," which will officially go into effect as of April 1, 2010.The new panel measures 977 x 1,255mm.

"We use a new technology to realize a conversion efficiency of 16%with a cell measuring 30 x 30cm," the company said. "Panels made byusing this technology will have a module conversion efficiency of 12.2%in 2011 and 13.0% in 2014 because of improvement in optical designs."

Execs and analysts have talked about CIGS for years. Some companieshave come out with limited numbers of CIGS panels, but volumes areexpected to start creeping up in the near future.

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