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Title: Award-Winning Etching Process Cuts Solar Cell Costs (Fact Sheet)

Abstract

NREL scientists have invented the 'black silicon' nanocatalytic wet-chemical etch, an inexpensive, one-step process that literally turns the solar cells black, allowing them to absorb more than 98% of incident sunlight. The process costs just a few cents per watt of solar-cell power-producing capacity. Increases in manufactured cell efficiencies of up to 0.8% are possible because of the reduced reflectance of black silicon. This would reduce silicon solar module costs by $5-$10 per module.

Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Techologies Program
OSTI Identifier:
1090151
Report Number(s):
NREL/FS-6A42-59020
DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Related Information: Innovation Impact: Solar Manufacturing, NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; SOLAR CELL; ANTIREFLECTION; ETCH; BLACK SILICON; NANOCATALYTIC WET-CHEMICAL ETCH; GOLD; SILVER; NANOPARTICLE; ANTIREFLECTIVE COATING; NATCORE TECHNOLOGY INC.; RED BANK, NEW JERSEY; ANGLE OF INCIDENCE; DIFFUSE LIGHT; R&D 100 AWARD; HOWARD BRANZ; Solar Energy - Photovoltaics

Citation Formats

. Award-Winning Etching Process Cuts Solar Cell Costs (Fact Sheet). United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.2172/1090151.
. Award-Winning Etching Process Cuts Solar Cell Costs (Fact Sheet). United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1090151
. 2013. "Award-Winning Etching Process Cuts Solar Cell Costs (Fact Sheet)". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1090151. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1090151.
@article{osti_1090151,
title = {Award-Winning Etching Process Cuts Solar Cell Costs (Fact Sheet)},
author = {},
abstractNote = {NREL scientists have invented the 'black silicon' nanocatalytic wet-chemical etch, an inexpensive, one-step process that literally turns the solar cells black, allowing them to absorb more than 98% of incident sunlight. The process costs just a few cents per watt of solar-cell power-producing capacity. Increases in manufactured cell efficiencies of up to 0.8% are possible because of the reduced reflectance of black silicon. This would reduce silicon solar module costs by $5-$10 per module.},
doi = {10.2172/1090151},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1090151}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}