Recent developments in high-efficiency PV cells

Conference · Mon May 22 00:00:00 EDT 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-008043865-8/50584-5· OSTI ID:756334

Deb, S

Enormous progress has been made in recent years on a number of photovoltaic (PV) materials and devices in terms of conversion efficiencies. Ultrahigh-efficiency (>30{percent}) PV cells have been fabricated from gallium arsenide (GaAs) and its ternary alloys such as gallium indium phosphide (GaInP{sub 2}). The high-efficiency GaAs-based solar cells are being produced on a commercial scale, particularly for space applications. Efficiencies in the range of 18{percent} to 24{percent} have been achieved in traditional silicon-based devices fabricated from both multicrystalline and single-crystal materials. Major advances in efficiency have also been made on various thin-film solar cells based on amorphous silicon (aSi:H), copper gallium indium diselenide (CIGS), and cadmium telluride materials. This paper gives a brief overview of the recent progress in PV cell efficiencies based on these materials and devices.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-99GO10337
• OSTI ID: 756334
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP-590-28060; TRN: AH200017%%202
• Resource Relation: Conference: World Renewable Energy Congress VI, Brighton (GB), 07/01/2000--07/07/2000; Other Information: PBD: 22 May 2000
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
SOLAR CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
EFFICIENCY
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAICS
THIN FILMS
AMORPHOUS SILICON
COPPER GALLIUM INDIUM DISELENIDE
CADMIUM TELLURIDE
GALLIUM ARSENIDE
GALLIUM INDIUM PHOSPHIDE
TITANIUM DIOXIDE