Role of polycrystalline thin-film PV technologies for achieving mid-term market-competitive PV modules / B. Von Roedern, K. Zweibel, and H.S. Ullal.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

Von Roedern, Bolko G.

Contributor:

Zweibel, Kenneth

Ullal, Harin S.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)

Series:

Conference paper (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.)) ; NREL/CP-520-37353.

Conference paper ; NREL/CP-520-37353

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Photovoltaic cells--Materials.

Photovoltaic cells.

Thin films.

Physical Description:

6 pages : digital, PDF file.

Place of Publication:

Golden, Colo. : National Renewable Energy Laboratory, [2005]

Summary:

This paper reviews the current commercial status of CuInSe2 alloys (collectively, CIS) and CdTe-based photovoltaic (PV) modules, comparing the performance of commercial products with the results achieved for solar cell and prototype module champions. We provide an update for these PV cell and module technologies, and also compare CIS and CdTe performance levels to the results achieved by the crystalline Si PV industry. This comparison shows that CIS and CdTe module technology presently offers the best (and perhaps only) approach for significantly exceeding the cost/performance levels established by crystalline Si PV technologies. A semi-empirical methodology is used for comparing ''champion'' solar cell and prototype module data with performance achieved on manufacturing lines. Using a conservative assumption that thin-film technologies will eliminate the 40% of PV module costs arising from the Si wafer or ribbon, we estimate the future performance of all established PV module candidates, and conclude that, based on 2004 knowledge about each PV technology, CIS and CdTe should provide cost-competitive advantages over crystalline Si.

Notes:

Title from title screen (viewed on May 8, 2006).

"February 2005."

2005-08-21.

OCLC:

68230225