Cadmium telluride photovoltaics
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
- Ting L. Chu Associates, Dallas, TX (United States)
Cadmium telluride solar cells have been the subject of investigation for almost forty years because of the known match of the CdTe band gap (1.45 eV) with the distribution of photons in the solar spectrum. Recent corporate entries such as BP Solar (acquired by Monosolar), Photon Energy, and most recently, Solar Cells, Inc. have invigorated the field. Cell efficiency results have gone beyond expectations, with work at the University of South Florida consistently surpassing expected limits. In November 1991, Chu and coworkers reached 14.6% efficiency. In June 1992, Chu`s students reached 15.8%. Whereas during the 1980`s, discussion of the limits of polycrystalline thin film cells, such as CdTe centered on whether they could reach 15%, today`s focus of attention is 20%. Similarly there has been exceptional progress in larger area CdTe-devices. BP Solar has reported making 1,000 cm{sup 2} modules at 10% efficiency. Meanwhile Photon Energy Inc. (now Golden Photon, a subsidiary of ACX Corporation) has made 24-W modules of nearly 4,000 cm{sup 2} size and Solar Cells Inc. has made several modules of over 50-W and 7,000 cm{sup 2} in the 7--8% range. During 1993, two US companies, Golden Photon Inc. and Solar Cells Inc., have announced that they are building facilities to make commercial quantities of CdTe PV modules in 1994. 93 references.
- OSTI ID:
- 139750
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9302150--; ISBN 0-89553-251-4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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