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U.S. Department of Energy
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Thin Film Photovoltaics

Conference ·
OSTI ID:12220
The motivation to develop thin film technologies dates back to the inception of photovoltaics. It is an idea based on achieving truly low-cost photovoltaics appropriate for mass production and energy significant markets. The key to the idea is the use of pennies worth of active materials. Since sunlight carries relatively little energy in comparison with combustion-based energy sources, photovoltaic (PV) modules must be cheap to produce energy that can be competitive. Thin films are presumed to be the answer to that low-cost requirement. But how cheap do they have to be? The following is an oversimplified analysis that allows some insight into this question.
Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy (US)
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-83CH10093;
OSTI ID:
12220
Report Number(s):
NREL/CP-520-25262
Resource Type:
Conference paper/presentation
Conference Information:
Technology's Critical Role in Energy & Environmental Markets Conference, Albuquerque, NM (US), 10/18/1998--10/21/1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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