Common Photovoltaic Cells and Cost Optimization

Overview Overview of solar power Overview of solar power Economic Problems Economic Problems Crystalline PV Cells Crystalline PV Cells Thin Film PV Cells Thin Film PV Cells

Solar Energy Certain materials absorb certain wavelengths Certain materials absorb certain wavelengths The shorter the wavelength the greater the energy The shorter the wavelength the greater the energy Ultraviolet light has more energy than infrared light Ultraviolet light has more energy than infrared light Crystalline silicon Crystalline silicon Utilizes all the visible spectrum plus some infrared radiation Utilizes all the visible spectrum plus some infrared radiation Heat vs. electrical energy Heat vs. electrical energy Light frequencies that is too high or too low for the semiconductor to absorb turn into heat energy instead of electrical energy Light frequencies that is too high or too low for the semiconductor to absorb turn into heat energy instead of electrical energy

Solar Energy "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that."– Thomas Edison, The sun provides every day 10,000 times the energy needed on the planet The sun provides every day 10,000 times the energy needed on the planet Abundant, Clean and Secure Abundant, Clean and Secure

Solar Energy

Solar Cell Production Volume

Economic Problems Material Cost Material Cost Process Cost Process Cost Module Efficiency Module Efficiency Module Size Module Weight Labor Cost

Economic Problems

Crystalline Solar Cells Materials: Crystalline Silicon Materials: Crystalline Silicon Grown into large single-crystal ingots Grown into large single-crystal ingots Sawed into thin wafers Sawed into thin wafers 2 wafers are bonded together (p-n junction) 2 wafers are bonded together (p-n junction) Wafers grouped into panels or arrays Wafers grouped into panels or arrays

Crystalline Solar Cells

Crystalline Silicon Process

Crystalline PV Cell Cost Optimization Material EfficiencyFabrication Line Scale

Crystalline PV Cell Cost Optimization

Thin Film Solar Cells

Thin Film Cost Optimization Large area processing = low cost per area

Thin Film Cost Optimization

Conclusion Solar energy is one of the most important for future energy resource Solar energy is one of the most important for future energy resource Crystalline and thin film PV cells are the most common solar cells these days Crystalline and thin film PV cells are the most common solar cells these days Cost optimization of PV cells is extremely important Cost optimization of PV cells is extremely important

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