Matchmaking bijeenkomst op 13 september 2012. GAAT DE ZON VOOR NIETS OP (HET NET)?

1. Solar Electricity
Arno Smets and Miro Zeman
Delft University of Technology
Delft
University of
Picture Source: www.nasa.gov
Technology
Challenge the future

2. About myself
Arno Smets
 1974 born in Netherlands
 1992-1997 Physics at TU Eindhoven
 1998-2002 PhD TU Eindhoven
 2002-2004 Post-doctoral Reseacher Helianthos Project
 2005-2010 Researcher at AIST, Japan
 2010-now Assistant professor at TU Delft
Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

3. Photovoltaic Materials and Devices
People
Scientific Staff
Secretary 4 Post docs 4 Technicians Guests
18 PhD students ~30 MSc students (15 final MSc project, 15 traineeship)

4. Outline
 Introduction
 Photovoltaics
 PV Systems
 PV technology
 Summary
Delft
University of
Picture Source: www.nasa.gov
Technology
Challenge the future

5. 1
INTRODUCTION

6. Humanity’s ten top problems
for next 50 years
1. ENERGY
2. WATER
3. FOOD
4. ENVIRONMENT
5. POVERTY
6. TERRORISM & WAR
7. DISEASE
8. EDUCATION
9. DEMOCRACY
10. POPULATION
Source: Lecture Prof. R.E. Smalley (Rice University) at 27th Illinois Junior Science & Humanities Symposium, 2005

7. Humanity’s ten top problems
for next 50 years
1. ENERGY
2. WATER
3. FOOD
4. ENVIRONMENT
5. POVERTY
6. TERRORISM & WAR
7. DISEASE
8. EDUCATION
9. DEMOCRACY
10. POPULATION
Source: Lecture Prof. R.E. Smalley (Rice University) at 27th Illinois Junior Science & Humanities Symposium, 2005

8. The Energy Problem Energy Shortage
Growing world
population
Results in pressure
on economy:
Ann. averg. oil price (in 2008 USD)
120
100
80
60
Increasing living standard: 40
20
0
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Time
Energy consumption per capita

9. The Energy Problem Climate change
Jeopardizing our habitats:
Somalia Russia
Mexico Pakistan
“The weather makers”, Tim Flannery

10. Energy transition
50 years is a characteristic time scale for change in energy mix
Source: Lecture Prof. Moniz (MIT) at TUD 2010

11. Energy transition scenario
EJ/a
1400
geothermal
other renewables
solar thermal (heat only)
solar power 1000
(photovoltaics (PV) & PV & CSP
solar thermal
generation (CSP)
wind energy
600
biomass (advanced)
biomass (traditional)
hydroelectricity
nuclear power
gas 200
coal
oil
2000 2020 2040 2100
year
Source: German Advisory Council on Global Change, 2003, www.wbgu.de

12. Electricity
 About 100 years of practical use
 Symbol of modernity and progress
 Secondary form of energy
 2 billion people without electricity
Source: Google Images

13. Electricity generation
Gravitational
Nuclear Wind
Hydro-tidal
Heat Electric
engines generators
Thermal Mechanical Electrical
η<60% η=90%
η=90%
Fuel
Cells
Chemical
Coal, oil, gas,
biomass, hydrogen
Source: L. Freris, D. Infield, Renewable Energy in Power Systems, Wiley 2008

14. Electricity generation
Gravitational
Nuclear Wind
Hydro-tidal
Heat Electric
engines generators
Thermal Mechanical Electrical
η<60% η=90%
Photovoltaics
η=90%
Fuel Solar
Cells thermal
Chemical
Coal, oil, gas,
Solar
biomass, hydrogen
Source: L. Freris, D. Infield, Renewable Energy in Power Systems, Wiley 2008

15. Electricity generation 2007
ELECTRICITY
GENERATION
geothermal
other renewables conversion
hydro 19%
solar thermal (heat only)
losses
solar power
(photovoltaics (PV) & nuclear 16%
solar thermal
generation (CSP) 2/3
wind energy gas 15%
biomass (advanced) ELECTRICITY
biomass (traditional) CONSUMPTION
hydroelectricity
coal 40% 40% residential
nuclear power 1/3
gas 47% industry
coal
oil 10% 13% transmission
oil
losses

16. Electricity generation 2007
Electricity:
World Netherlands
20 202 TWh 103 TWh 20-25 kWh/d/p
wind 3%
geothermal nuclear 4%
hydro 19% biomass 6%
other renewables
solar thermal (heat only)
Total Energy:
solar power nuclear 16% (gas,oil,etc.)
(photovoltaics (PV) &
solar thermal gas 125 kWh/d/p
generation (CSP) gas 59%
wind energy 87%
biomass (advanced)
biomass (traditional)
65%
hydroelectricity coal
nuclear power
gas coal 26%
coal fossil oil
oil 2%
oil
25 Nuclear power plants
(0.5 GW)
Sorce: Eurostat 2009 edition , BP Statistical Review Full Report (http://www.bp.com/images)

17. Energy transition scenario
Electricity as energy carrier

18. Living on renewables?
David JC MacKay
“Sustainable Energy:
Without the hot air”

19. Living on renewables?
Population density:
Netherlands: 16400000 41500 395 2530

20. Living on renewables?
Population density: 125 kWh/day/p
Required
energy per m2
0.016 W/m2
0.028 W/m2
0.067 W/m2
0.068 W/m2
0.22 W/m2
0.32 W/m2
0.57 W/m2
0.70 W/m2
1.2 W/m2
1.9 W/m2
Netherlands: 16400000 41500 395 2530 2.0 W/m2

21. Living on renewables?
125 kWh/day/p 125kWh/day/p
Population density: Surface area
required with
Required 15 W/m2
energy per m2 technology
0.016 W/m2 0.11 %
0.028 W/m2 0.19 %
0.067 W/m2 0.45 %
0.068 W/m2 0.45 %
0.22 W/m2 1.5 %
0.32 W/m2 2.1 %
0.57 W/m2 3.8 %
0.70 W/m2 4.6 %
1.2 W/m2 8.0 %
1.9 W/m2 12.7 %
Netherlands: 16400000 41500 395 2530 2.0 W/m2 13.3 %

22. Living on renewables?
125 kWh/day/p 125kWh/day/p
Surface area
required with
Required 15 W/m2
energy per m2 technology
0.016 W/m2 0.11 %
0.028 W/m2 0.19 %
0.067 W/m2 0.45 %
0.068 W/m2 0.45 %
0.22 W/m2 1.5 %
0.32 W/m2 2.1 %
0.57 W/m2 3.8 %
0.70 W/m2 4.6 %
1.2 W/m2 8.0 %
1.9 W/m2 12.7 %
Netherlands: 16400000 41500 395 2530 2.0 W/m2 13.3 %

23. Solar Resources
Global demand 2010: 16 TW Solar cell with 10% efficiency:
Global demand 2050: 32 TW 1250 1250 km2
Solar energy: 120 000 TW
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov

24. 2
PHOTOVOLTAICS

25. Photovoltaics (PV)
Solar module
Electricity
Sun Solar
radiation
Source: A. Poruba

26. Solar cell
sunlight
Solar cell
electricity
heat
Maximum electrical power out
Efficiency=
Light power in

27. Photovoltaic industry
Scaling production volume
40000
Global solar cell production 37185
MW
mono c-Si
30000 poly c-Si
27381
ribbon c-Si 36%
TF-Si Thin-
CdTe film
20000 CIS solar
rest cells
12464
118%
10000
7910
56%
4279
1815 2536 85%
750 1257 69%
560 34% 68% 45% 40%
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Source: Photon International, March 2012

28. Photovoltaics
Historical development of cumulative PV power:
70 China
70
APEC
60 60
Cumulative Installed
29.6
PV Capacity (GW)
Rest of World
North America
50 Japan 50
39.53
European Union
40 40
22.90
30 30
20 .66 20 Nederland 2003:
15
9
9.4
8
46 MW (1.6 %)
6.9
0
10 10
5.4
6
4
3.9
6
2.8
9
6
2.2
1.7
Nederland 2010:
1.4
0 0
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 97 MW (0.24 %)
Year
EPIA 2009: Global Market Outlook For Photovoltaics Until 2013

29. Trend in installed power technologies
The European Wind Energy Association: Wind in power: 2011 European Statistics, 2012

30. EU power capacity mix
Summary
in MW in MW
Total ~580 GW Total ~896 GW
The European Wind Energy Association: Wind in power: 2011 European Statistics, 2012

31. Photovoltaics
2010 Installed Cumulative Installed Capacity Share
(MW, %)
Nederland 2010 ~60 MW (0.15%)

32. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

33. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

34. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

35. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

36. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

37. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

38. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

39. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

40. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

41. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

42. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

43. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Source: EPIA

44. PV module supply and demands
World wide supply - demand
Moving from local markets to fast changing global markets
Source: EPIA

45. Photovoltaics industry
Market 2011
Power [GW]

46. PV power
Latest news
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
May 30 – Guardian:
Solar power generation world record set in Germany
German solar power plants produced a world record 22 gigawatts of
electricity – equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity – through the
midday hours of Friday and Saturday, the head of a renewable energy think
tank has said.
This met nearly 50% of the nation’s midday electricity needs.
The record-breaking amount of solar power shows one of the world’s
leading industrial nations was able to meet a third of its electricity needs on
a work day, Friday, and nearly half on Saturday when factories and offices
were closed.
The Guardian: May 30, 2012

47. Electricity network of today
28 power stations in Netherlands

48. Future electricity network

49. 3
PV SYSTEMS

50. PV system
Two main types:
Stand-alone system Grid-connected system
Grid
dc/ac
Charge Storage invertor
controller
=
~
DC dc/ac = AC
PV loads invertor PV loads
generator ~ generator
AC
loads

51. PV system
Power electronics
The highly varying environmental conditions and nonlinear
nature of the photovoltaic (PV) generator make the utilization of
PV energy a challenging task:
Power electronics converters:
Reliable operating interface between renewable energy
resources and the electrical power grid.

52. PV system
Markets/applications:
Rural stand-alone
and local grid
(10 Wp – 10 kWp)
Grid-connected
(building-)integrated
(1 kWp – 1 MWp)
Power plants
(1 MWp - 1 GWp)
Source: W Sinke, Solar Academy

53. PV systems
Terminology and definitions
Power (of cells, modules and systems) in Watt-peak (Wp)
(Average) ac system efficiency
Performance ratio =
(STC) dc module efficiency
Typically 0.75 – 0.85
Electricity yield in kWh/kWp (usually per year)
Typically 750 – 900 kWh/kWp for c-Si modules in NL
 hours ac peak power per year
Capacity factor =
 hours per year
Typically 0.09 – 0.11 in NL/DE

54. Grid-connected PV system
Overview biggest PV installations:
Power Location Description Commissioned Picture
100 MWp Ukraine, Perovo I-V PV power plant 2011
Perovo Constructed by: Activ Solar
97 MWp Canada, Sarnia PV power plant 2009-2010
Sarnia
84 MWp Italy, Montalto di Castro PV 2009-2010
Montalto di Castro power plant
Constructed by: SunPower, SunRay
Renewable
82 MWp Germany, Solarpark Senftenberg II,III 2011
http://www.pvresources.com/PVPowerPlants/Top50.aspx
Senftenberg Constructed by: Saferay

55. DESERTEC project
Solar Thermal Power
plants
Photovoltaics
Wind
Hydro
Biomass
Geothermal
Source: DESERTEC foundation

56. Grid-connected PV system
Grid-connected home PV system:
Components: 3×150 Wp modules
=
~ AC
M. Zeman, Delft

57. Solar irradiation on Earth
The Netherlands:
2.7 sun hours/day/year
2 3 4 5 6
Solar irradiation: solar irradiance integrated over a period of time

58. Grid-connected PV system
Grid-connected home PV system: 3×150 Wp modules
65
386.0 kWh Year 2010
60
55
Generated energy [kWh]
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Month
M. Zeman, Delft

59. Costs grid-connected PV System
PV system is nowadays good investment!
Cost in 2012:
Costs €1030 Saves per year: €115 That’s €2875 in 25 years
(500 kWh*€0,23/kWh) A payback period of 9 years!
EY=877 kWh/kWp
M. Workum, PVMD, TU Delft

60. Costs grid-connected PV System
PV system is nowadays good investment!
Above € 6000 inverters
become relatively cheap
Average Dutch family
(3500 kWh @ €6800)
Cheapest system
(500 kWh @ €1030)
No installation or second inverter included. One year old data, prices are now even lower (see previous sheet)
M. Workum, PVMD, TU Delft

61. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV Module
10
(USD/Wp)
1
Source: Navigant Consulting
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

62. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV System
PV Module
10
(USD/Wp)
1
Source: Navigant Consulting
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

63. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV System
PV Module
10
(USD/Wp)
Non-modular costs
1
Source: Navigant Consulting
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

64. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV System
Non-Modular
PV Module
10 29% Installation
(USD/Wp)
18% Inverter
17% Maintenance
Non-modular costs
16% Racking
1 10% Wiring
10% BOS, others
Source: Navigant Consulting
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

65. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV System
Non-Modular
PV Module
10 29% Installation
(USD/Wp)
18% Inverter
TF Silicon PV 17% Maintenance
Non-modular costs
16% Racking
1 10% Wiring
10% BOS, others
Source: Navigant Consulting
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

66. 4
PV Technologies

67. PV technology: 1st vs 2nd generation
First Generation Second Generation (thin film)
Melt processing Plasma processing
Sanyo, Silicon
Hetero-Junction cell NUON Helianthos
Pure material:
high efficiencies Lower quality material:
Expensive processing: lower efficiencies
cost-price energy higher Low costs processing:
cost-price energy lower
Silicon: record lab efficiency 20-27% Thin film: record lab efficiency 13-20%

68. PV technologies
CIGS
c-Si wafer based
CdTe
III-V semiconductor based
TF Si

69. PV technologies
1. Wafer based Si
2. Thin films
3. Cheap + efficient
MC manufacturing costs
SP average selling price
SIII installed cost for a utility scale system
SI installed cost for a residential system
Hillhouse and Beard, Curr. Opin. Colloid. In. 14, 245 (2009).

70. Thin-film silicon solar cells
Si-based solar cells
Al Al
SiO2 n+
electron
hole
p-type
p++ c-Si p++
Al
c-Si (180-250 μm)

71. Solar cell
Incident light
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

72. Solar cell
Incident light
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

73. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

74. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

75. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
hole
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

76. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
hole
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

77. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

78. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode

79. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

80. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
hole covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

81. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

82. Solar cell
Incident light
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

83. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

84. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

85. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

86. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

87. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Si atom
electron
covalent bond
P atom
Semiconductor
B atom
Metal back electrode
hole

88. Solar cell
Metal front
electrode
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

89. Solar cell
Incident light
Metal front
electrode
ARC
electron
hole
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode

90. Solar cell
Main losses
recombination
X
gap
energy light
1.1 eV
X
X
generation

91. Solar cell
Additional losses
Incident light
Reflection
n1 ≠ n2
Metal front
electrode
ARC
electron
hole
Semiconductor
Metal back electrode
c-Si solar cell structure
Transmission (finite α)

92. Design principle of solar cells
Defect Engineering
Bulk defects
Interface defects
Meta-stable defects
Spectral Matching Light Trapping
Texture interfaces
Choice of Material
Reflectors
Multi-junctions
Plasmonic Approaches

93. Thin-film silicon solar cells
Si-based solar cells
Al Al
SiO2 n+ Thin-film Si (0.2 - 5 μm)
p-type
p++ c-Si p++
Al
c-Si (180-250 μm)

94. Thin-film silicon solar cells
Si-based solar cells
Al Al
Glass plate
SiO2 n+ Thin-film Si (0.2 - 5 μm)
TCO
p-type
Intrinsic
a-Si:H
p-type
p++ c-Si p++ n-type
Al Metal electrode
c-Si (180-250 μm) a-Si (0.2-0.3 μm)

95. The a-Si:H p-i-n junction
Problem 2: mismatch single junction with solar spectrum

96. The a-Si:H p-i-n junction
Problem 2: mismatch single junction with solar spectrum
Absorption
a-Si:H Does not cover entire spectrum!

97. The a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem
Problem 2: mismatch with solar spectrum
Absorption Absorption
a-Si:H c-Si:H

98. Multi-junction approach
Record ηst (confirmed) Micromorph (double) Triple-junction
10.1% (a-Si) Oerlikon 12.5% (a-Si/μc-Si) Oerlikon 13.0% (Si/SiGe/SiGe) USSC*
10.1% (μc-Si) Kaneka 12.4% (a-Si/a-SiGe) USSC* 13.4% (a-Si/nc-Si/nc-Si) USSC
13.4% (a-Si/a-Ge/nc-Si) USSC

99. Thin-film silicon solar cells
Si-based solar cells
Al Al
Glass plate
SiO2 n+
TCO
p-type
Intrinsic
a-Si:H
n-type
p-type
Intrinsic
p-type uc-Si:H
p++ c-Si p++ n-type
Al Metal electrode
c-Si (180-250 μm) a-Si/uc-Si (2.0-4.0 μm)

100. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV Module
10
(USD/Wp)
1
Source: Navigant Consulting
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

101. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV Module
10
(USD/Wp)
Thin Film PV:
1 CdTe (First Solar)
Source: Navigant Consulting
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

102. Learning curve: PV modules, systems
100
Average global sales price
PV Module
10
(USD/Wp)
Thin Film PV:
1 CdTe (First Solar)
Source: Navigant Consulting Micromorph
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 (Oerlikon)
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Cumulative Installations (GW)

103. PV technologies
Wafer based crystalline silicon
 ½ century of manufacturing history, ~90% of 2007 market
 progressing by innovation and volume
 reduction of manufacturing costs is major challenge
 module efficiencies:
- 12 ~ 20% (now)
- 18 ~ >22% (longer term)
Source: W Sinke

104. PV technologies
Thin-film silicon
 low-cost potential and new application possibilities
 positive impact of micro- and nanocrystalline silicon
 efficiency enhancement is major challenge
 stable module efficiencies:
– 6 ~ 11% (now)
– 11 ~ 16% (longer term)
Source: W Sinke

105. PV technologies
Cadmium Telluride
 low-cost potential (partly already demonstrated)
 positive impact of development of take-back and recycling
systems
 efficiency enhancement is major challenge
 module efficiencies:
– 7 ~ 11% (now)
– 10 ~ 15% (longer term)
Source: W Sinke

106. PV technologies
Copper-indium/gallium-selenide/sulphide (CIGS)
 high performance & possibilities for multi-junction devices
 reduction of manufacturing costs is major challenge; work on
low-cost varieties
 module efficiencies:
– 9 ~ 12% (now)
–15 ~ 18% (longer term)
Source: W Sinke

107. Efficiency development

108. Cost price elements vs abundancy
Averaged cost-price elements versus abundance in ore (2004-2009)
a-Si:H thin film
technology
M. Green, Progress in PV: Res. Appl. 17, 347 (2009)

109. Composition of the Earth’s crust

110. Composition of the Earth’s crust
1st generation c-Si: Si,O,Al,N,B,P

111. Composition of the Earth’s crust
2nd generation CdTe: Cd,Te,S,Al,Zn,O
Ratio Te/Si: 10-9
1 m2 cell 2μm CdTe (50% =Te)
1 m2 hole having depth of
(110-6/ 110-9 )~ 103 m = 1 km

112. Composition of the Earth’s crust
III-V: Ga,As,Al,In,P,Ge,

113. Composition of the Earth’s crust
2nd generation CIGS: Cu,In,Se,Ga,Al,Zn,O,Cd,S

114. Composition of the Earth’s crust
2nd generation Dye-sensitized: Ti,O,Sn,Pt,C,O,H,N,S,Ru,I
(and many more)

115. Composition of the Earth’s crust
2nd generation a-Si:H: H,Si,O,Zn,Al,B,P

116. TF turn-key companies
Module efficiency: 10.8% guaranteed Record cell: 12.5 %
Micromorph
0.35 €/Wp technology
Yield > 97%
Output: 120 MWp

117. Thin-film Si PV technology
Glass plates:
Application
Industry hall, Thurnau, Germany

118. Helianthos project
Flexible substrate:
 Dutch route: Temporary superstrate solar cell concept
 Development of unique low-cost roll-to-roll technology for
fabrication of thin-film Si solar modules (started in 1996)

119. Thin-film Si PV technology
Flexible substrate:
Flexible, lightweight, monolithically series connected a-Si modules

120. Thin-film Si PV technology

121. Thin-film Si PV technology
Presented by E. Hamers at the European PV solar energy conference Hamburg 6 sept. 2011.

122. 7
SUMMARY

123. PV technology
Summary
 Direct conversion of light to electricity
(PV) is an elegant process suitable for
versatile, robust, low-cost technology; the
global potential is practically unlimited
 A wide range of technology options is
commercially available, emerging or found in
the lab
 The first major economic milestone on the road
to very large-scale use has been reached: grid
parity with retail electricity prices

124. PV status in 2012
Summary
 Production:
- dominant c-Si PV technology, 90% market
- large production capacity in China
- difficult time for thin-film PV technologies (TF Si, CIGS, CdTe)
 Installation:
- highest contribution to newly installed power capacity in EU
 Price:
- <1 €/Wp; c-Si modules: 0.8-0.9 €/Wp expectation 0.5 €/Wp in 2015
- grid parity reached in Germany and Netherlands
 Research trends
- increasing module efficiency (c-Si modules >20%)

125. PV technology
Challenges for TW scale implementation
 turn-key system price < 1 €/Wp (generation costs < 3-10 c€/kWh)
- low-cost modules at very high efficiency (> 30%)
- add efficiency boosters (spectrum shapers), full spectrum utilization (advanced concepts)
- or: very low-cost modules (<< 0.5 €/Wp) at moderate efficiency (>10%)
- polymer solar cells, nanostructured (quantum dot) hybrid materials
- Low BOS costs
 use of non-toxic, abundantly available materials
(preferably use Si, C, Al, O, N, …)
- indium replacement
- non-metallic conductors (Ag  C?)
- all-silicon thin-film tandems
 stability (20 to 40 years) and realibility
- intrinsic & extrinsic degradation of organics-based solar cells

126. Thank you for your attention!
Delft
University of
Picture Source: www.nasa.gov
Technology
Challenge the future

127. Thin-film Si PV technology
Present status:
+ Promising low-cost solar cell technology
+ Industrial production experience
(Flat panel display industry)
- Relatively low stabilized efficiencies (η ≈ 6-7%)
+ Double-junction micromorph solar cell (η>10%)
 ideal combination of materials (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H) for
converting AM1.5 solar spectrum
+ 2008 production of modules 400 MW
production capacity ~ 1000 MW
Google images

128. Thin-film Si PV technology
Current developments:
 increase in TF Si module production
 complete production lines available
Future developments:
Oerlikon
 short term: optimize micromorph tandem cell
 long term: optimize triple cell, breakthrough
concepts for high efficiency (η>20%)
Applied Materials