Title :
Third generation photovoltaics
Author :
Catchpole, K.R. ; Green, M.A.
Author_Institution :
Special Res. Centre for Third Generation Photovoltaics, New South Wales Univ., Sydney, NSW, Australia
Abstract :
While the photovoltaics industry is currently dominated by silicon wafer-based "first generation" technology, there is a clear move towards "second generation" thin-film technology. Second generation technology has significant cost advantages over wafer-based modules, due to reduced materials usage and large-area processing. Even with second generation technology, however, materials costs are likely to eventually dominate. To further reduce cost, a third-generation of high efficiency thin-film technology will be necessary, with energy conversion efficiencies double or triple the 15 to 20% presently targeted. Tandem cells are the best known example of such approaches, but a range of more integrated approaches is possible, as described in this paper.
Keywords :
solar cells; thermophotovoltaic cells; energy conversion efficiencies; high efficiency thin-film technology; photovoltaics industry; tandem cells; third generation photovoltaics; Costs; Energy conversion; Photovoltaic cells; Production; Semiconductor thin films; Sheet materials; Silicon; Solar power generation; Sun; Transistors;
Conference_Titel :
Optoelectronic and Microelectronic Materials and Devices, 2002 Conference on
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7571-8
DOI :
10.1109/COMMAD.2002.1237188