Title :
First Solar Polycrystalline CdTe Thin Film PV
Author :
Meyers, Peter V.
Author_Institution :
LLC, Perrysburg, OH
Abstract :
First solar has been manufacturing and selling thin film PV modules commercially since 2002. The first solar FS series module product is a single-junction polycrystalline thin film structure that employs CdTe as the absorption layer and CdS as the window layer. First solar´s production process uses thin film semiconductor technology that integrates the entire solar module manufacturing process into a single production line. Since commencing commercial production in 2002, we have produced and sold 36.5 MW of thin film CdTe solar modules. This presentation provides an overview of first solar polycrystalline thin film technology, manufacturing, applications and field performance and potential for improvement
Keywords :
II-VI semiconductors; cadmium compounds; semiconductor device manufacture; semiconductor technology; semiconductor thin films; solar cells; thin film devices; CdTe; absorption layer; polycrystalline thin film semiconductor technology; semiconductor device manufacturing; solar module manufacturing process; solar polycrystalline thin film structure; solar production process; thin film PV modules; Costs; Glass; ISO standards; Manufacturing; Production; Recycling; Semiconductor device manufacture; Semiconductor thin films; Testing; Transistors;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on
Conference_Location :
Waikoloa, HI
Print_ISBN :
1-4244-0017-1
Electronic_ISBN :
1-4244-0017-1
DOI :
10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279899