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Title:
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Thin-film solar cells: technology evaluation and perspectives
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Author(s):
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Published by:
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Publication date:
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ECN
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1-5-2000
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ECN report number:
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Document type:
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ECN-RX--00-005
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Article (scientific)
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Number of pages:
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58
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Published in: To be published by Novem as Novem report DV1.1.70 (), , , Vol., p.-.
Abstract:
The main thin-film solar cell technologies are evaluated with respect tothe criteria Cost, Applicability, Sustainability and Compatibility with the
Dutch PV infrastructure. This evaluation concerns the following technologies
in particular: thin film crystalline silicon, separated into low and high
temperature deposition processes (LT-f-Si, HT-f-Si), amorphous silicon
(a-(Si,Ge):H), copper indium-gallium di-selenide-sulphide (CIGS), cadmium
telluride (CdTe) and dye-sensitized (DSC) solar cells technologies. For this
evaluation, multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) is used as a reference. This
means that all scores (low, high, etc.) are relative to mc-Si.
Organic/polymeric cells are of special interest for the long term, but not
enough data is available for a full analysis. Interviews with experts from
industry and R and D institutions and a technology review form the basis for
this evaluation. The present status, the short- and long-term perspective are
reviewed and the risk involved in the further developments is assessed, the
risk being separately evaluated and weighed. To facilitate comparison the
criteria are quantified and weighing factors are used to normalise the
evaluation. Where possible, the developments and data reflect the expected
status in 2005. A number of interesting patterns can be observed from this
evaluation. In the category Cost, a-(Si,Ge):H, LT-f-Si and DSC score better
than mc-Si. In the category Applicability, a-(Si,Ge):H, and to a lesser
extent CIGS and CdTe, score high. LT-f-Si scores high for Sustainability,
both for its low toxicity content and a high resource availability. CIGS,
CdTe and HT-f-Si score low in the category Cost, Sustainability and Dutch
infrastructure. As expected, only the a-(Si,Ge):H technology scores well on
the availability of a good PV R and D infrastructure in The Netherlands. DSC
scores relatively high on the R and D infrastructure, where especially the
international technological position is excellent. Industrial activities
world-wide are concentrated on high-rate and low-cost manufacturing
processes. At present industry is investing mainly in the x-Si, a-(Si,Ge):H,
CIGS and CdTe technologies. R and D is focused on improving efficiency,
gaining a thorough understanding of the material properties and developing
new deposition techniques. The interviews with experts indicate confidence in
x-Si and a-(Si,Ge):H technologies with regard to the criteria Costs,
Efficiency and Risk control. The technology mapping confirms these
expectations. A major difficulty in scaling up the CIGS and CdTe technologies
is the control of active layer deposition over a large area. The critical
risks involved in processing LT-f-Si technologies are the deposition of the
active layer and control of the material properties. The a-(Si,Ge):H and
LT-f-Si are strongly related and it is expected that they can benefit from
each other, with mutual spin-off and probably combined devices. HT-f-Si has a
potential for high efficiencies, but the development time is still long and
no real successful deposition process has been identified yet, so the level
of uncertainty is high. It is anticipated that the dye-sensitised and the
organic/polymeric solar cells will become important in the mid- to longer
term with advantages in Costs and Applicability. Much basic and applied
research has yet to be done on the stability for both types and the charge
transport properties of organic/polymeric materials. During the interviews,
several experts mentioned that more co-operation between research groups and
the industry is important on a European and intercontinental level. 97 refs.
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