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First-Generation Solar Cells
Published in Denise Wilson, Wearable Solar Cell Systems, 2019
By far, silicon is the most popular choice for commercial PV cells and solar panels. With high efficiencies (>25%) and mature fabrication technology, crystalline silicon is well poised to support stationary and general-purpose solar installations for years to come. For wearable solar cell systems where a rigid structure is tolerable, crystalline silicon is also a good choice. When flexibility is essential, lower-efficiency, lower-cost PV cells made with amorphous silicon can be wrapped around just about anything including smart clothing and a wide number of accessories worn on the human body. When considering all types of silicon PV cells together, it may be hard to believe that there is an application for solar cells that needs something beyond silicon. But, second- and third-generation solar cells strive to tell the story otherwise.
Short Review of Atomic and Semiconductor Theory
Published in Vijay B. Pawade, Sanjay J. Dhoble, Phosphors for Energy Saving and Conversion Technology, 2018
Vijay B. Pawade, Sanjay J. Dhoble
The c-Si solar cell can give better efficiency: up to 27.6%. It shows little degradation over time. Therefore, most solar cells are made using crystalline silicon. It is well known that mono-c-Si cells belong to the first generation of PV technology and have a long lifespan. This type of cell is formed from high-purity materials, and their structure is perfect, which makes for very efficient energy conversion. The effectiveness of the cells is due to lack of grain boundaries, so that in the case of silicon, there is no grain boundary to obstruct the movement of electrons around the silicon structure. Therefore, silicon solar cells have some good advantages and few disadvantages. The efficiency of monocrystalline solar cells is higher, but the cost is also higher; polycrystalline solar cells are cheaper but less efficient. The process of manufacturing silicon with a single crystal structure makes it comparatively more expensive than polycrystalline silicon. The thin-film solar cell would be ideal to replace the Si cell, but it has suffered from efficiency problems. Thus, today, PV laboratories are devoting great effort to finding a substitute for silicon solar cells with good efficiency and lower cost and also trying to enhance the efficiency of current Si solar cells. A suitable approach has now been identified by researchers to improve cell efficiency by using an upconversion/downconversion (UC/DC) phosphor layer coating on the front substrate of the Si cell, which will be discussed in the next chapter.
Photovoltaic Fundamentals
Published in Leonard L. Grigsby, and Distribution: The Electric Power Engineering Handbook, 2018
Crystalline silicon cells can be either monocrystalline or polycrystalline. The monocrystalline cells are generally somewhat more efficient, but are also somewhat more energy intensive to produce. The cells are composed of approximately 200 μm thick slices of p-type single crystal ingots grown from a melt, with their circumferences squared up by slicing the round cross section into an approximately square cross section, similar to the way that lumber is processed from logs. The junction is formed by diffusing n-type impurities to a depth of approximately 1/α, where α is the absorption constant. The surfaces are then polished, textured and contacts are attached on front and back of the cell. The resulting cell cross section is essentially that of Figure 2.7. An adaptation of the structure of Figure 2.7 involves connecting the top layer of the cell through to the back of the cell so all contacts of the cell will be on the back. This increases cell efficiency by eliminating reflection of incident photons from front contacts. Typical cell conversion efficiencies for cells with front contacts can approach 17% and conversion efficiencies of back contact cells can exceed 20%.
Cr2S3(Et2DTC) complex and [Cr2S3-MoS2(Et2DTC)] bilayer thin films: single source stationed fabrication, compositional, optical, microstructural and electrochemical investigation
Published in Environmental Technology, 2021
Shaan Bibi Jaffri, Khuram Shahzad Ahmad, Saba Ifthikhar
The factor of higher costs associated with the crystalline silicon (Si) based solar cells has rendered them unattractive for the fulfilment of the energy demands on a global scale. Despite the fact, that there is an abundance of Si but the costs and time durations required for obtaining an improved quality of Si represents a challenge to the scientific community. Thus, metal sulphide thin films serve as a cheap substitute to this expensive technology. The research in this domain is in its emergent form. Electrochemical studies have been performed for a variety of materials to be used as an alternative to Si technology. For the thin films to be used in the photovoltaic application, it is necessary for the thin films to exhibit favourable electrochemical characteristics.
Effect of Soiling on the Performance of Solar PV Modules: A Case Study of Aligarh
Published in Smart Science, 2021
Mohd Tariq, Mohsin Karim Ansari, Fazlur Rahman, Md Atiqur Rahman, Imtiaz Ashraf
These are the most commonly used, less expensive and less efficient than those made from mono-crystalline silicon. Cast square ingots-large blocks of molten silicon carefully cooled and solidified for making polycrystalline silicon or multi-crystalline silicon cells. A typical metal flake effect is given by the material as it consists of small crystals. Poly silicon cells are the most common type used in photovoltaic and are less expensive, but also less efficient than those made from mono-crystalline silicon.
Influence of dust deposition, wind and rain on photovoltaic panels efficiency in Arequipa – Peru
Published in International Journal of Sustainable Energy, 2022
Stamber Alvaro Ramírez-Revilla, Juan José Milón Guzmán, Karim Navarrete Cipriano, Sergio Leal Braga
In order to meet the ever-increasing demand for electricity around the world, photovoltaic systems are being used to convert solar energy into electricity (Charfi et al. 2018). Using photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity is a clean and sustainable way of producing energy. The predominant solar technology uses crystalline silicon (polycrystalline and monocrystalline) as a semi-conductor material (Mussard and Amara 2018).