Ascent Solar’s [[Thin film solar cell|thin-film solar modules]] are manufactured from [[Copper indium gallium selenide solar cells|CIGS cell]]s using copper indium gallium (di)selenide semiconductor (CIGS), which has shown a 10.5% [[NREL]] efficiency in real-world conditions. What makes this proprietary technology unique, however, is its relative size, weight and flexibility: Ascent’s CIGS panels currently allow for 85 watts/meter, and 48 watts/kg, thereby giving them the greatest power density and weight ratio among available flexible photovoltaic products<ref>[http://www.ascentsolar.com/site/files/870/88179/321594/619249/July_2012_Investor_Presentation.pdf] {{dead link|date=July 2015}}</ref> by a significant margin. This allows for the efficient use of solar power in a range of new contexts, in which size or weight restrictions have previously rendered solar power impracticable: e.g., cell phones, airplanes, unmanned vehicles, consumer electronics, railways, space programs, and off-grid applications. This developing technology was selected as one of the “100 Most Innovative Technologies for 2010″ by [[Advantage Business Media|”R&D Magazine”]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rdmag.com/Awards/RD-100-Awards/2010/07/R-D-100-2010-Winners-Overview/|title=2010 R & D 100 Award Winners|date=July 7, 2010|website=Rdmag.com|access-date=July 18, 2018}}</ref> and as one of the “50 Best Inventions of 2011″ by [[Time (magazine)|”Time” magazine]].<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2099708,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118084746/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2099708,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 18, 2011 | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=28 November 2011 | title=The 50 Best Inventions}}</ref>
Ascent Solar’s [[Thin film solar cell|thin-film solar modules]] are manufactured from [[Copper indium gallium selenide solar cells|CIGS cell]]s using copper indium gallium (di)selenide semiconductor (CIGS), which has shown a 10.5% [[NREL]] efficiency in real-world conditions. What makes this proprietary technology unique, however, is its relative size, weight and flexibility: Ascent’s CIGS panels currently allow for 85 watts/meter, and 48 watts/kg, thereby giving them the greatest power density and weight ratio among available flexible photovoltaic products<ref>[http://www.ascentsolar.com/site/files/870/88179/321594/619249/July_2012_Investor_Presentation.pdf] {{dead link|date=July 2015}}</ref> by a significant margin. This allows for the efficient use of solar power in a range of new contexts, in which size or weight restrictions have previously rendered solar power impracticable, cell phones, airplanes, unmanned vehicles, consumer electronics, railways, space programs, and off-grid applications. This developing technology was selected as one of the “100 Most Innovative Technologies for 2010″ by [[Advantage Business Media|”R&D Magazine”]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rdmag.com/Awards/RD-100-Awards/2010/07/R-D-100-2010-Winners-Overview/|title=2010 R & D 100 Award Winners|date=July 7, 2010|website=Rdmag.com|access-date=July 18, 2018}}</ref> and as one of the “50 Best Inventions of 2011″ by [[Time (magazine)|”Time” magazine]].<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2099708,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118084746/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2099708,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 18, 2011 | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=28 November 2011 | title=The 50 Best Inventions}}</ref>
