In the recent years there has been an increased interest in photovoltaic structures on lightweight flexible substrates. Photovoltaic structures on lightweight substrates have several advantages over the heavy glass-based structures in both terrestrial and space applications. CdTe is one of the leading candidates for the solar cells due to its optimum band gap and the variety of film preparation methods. The development of CdTe thin films on flexible substrates is discussed. The film growth and characterization are reviewed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.