This book gives a comprehensive introduction to the field of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and modules. In thirteen chapters, it addresses a wide range of topics including the spectrum of light received by PV devices, the basic functioning of a solar cell, and the physical factors limiting the efficiency of solar cells. It places particular emphasis on crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, which constitute today more than 90 % of all modules sold worldwide. Describing in great detail both the manufacturing process and resulting module performance, the book also touches on the newest developments in this sector, such as Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCON) and heterojunction modules, while dedicating a major chapter to general questions of module design and fabrication. Overall, it presents the essential theoretical and practical concepts of PV solar cells and modules in an easy-to-understand manner and discusses current challenges facing the global research and development community.

Autorentext
Arvind Shah was born in Bombay, India, and attended the ETH Zürich, where he graduated in 1964 as Electrical Engineer and completed his PhD in Applied Physics in 1968 on memory applications of ferroelectrics. From 1968 to 1975, he worked as a lecturer and R&D group leader at the Department of Industrial Research of the ETH Zürich and, in 1975, founded and co-directed the Centre for Electronics Design and Technology (CEDT) at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, which is currently one of India's leading University Centres in the field of electronics. In 1979, he was appointed Professor at the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, where he founded the Photovoltaics Research Laboratory (PV Lab Neuchâtel) as a part of the Institute of Microtechnology (IMT). The PV Lab Neuchâtel is a pioneer in the establishment of low-cost production methods for solar cells based on silicon and has significantly contributed to the development of transparent conductive oxides as contact layers for solar cells. In October 2005, Arvind Shah retired from his position as Head of the PV Lab and as Professor at the University of Neuchâtel and at the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Since then he has been active as scientific consultant to various industries throughout Europe, India and the USA. He is author or co-author of more than 200 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals and editor of the book Thin-Film Silicon Solar Cells, published by the EPFL Press in 2010. Together with Johannes Meier, he was awarded, in 2005, the Swiss Solar Prize. In 2007 he received the Becquerel Prize, during the 22nd EC Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference.

Inhalt

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1. Photovoltaics: potential and orders of magnitude

1.2. Photovoltaics: a choice of technology

1.3. Photovoltaics: Technology evolution

1.4. Photovoltaics: Manufacturing chain and efficiency increases

1.5. Photovoltaics: Impact of technology on energy pay-back time

1.6. Beyond silicon single-junction solar cells. 1.7. Building integrated photovoltaics.

1.8. PV in future energy systems

1.9. References

2. Solar Spectra

2.1. Interaction of sunlight and the earth's atmosphere

2.2. Albedo

2.3. Indoor lighting

2.4. "Lux" as a unit of light measurement

2.5. Moonlight

2.6. Irradiance and irradiation

2.7. References

3. Solar Cells: Basics

Preamble: Some basic terms from semiconductor physics

3.1. The photovoltaic effect: Interaction of light and matter

3.2. Conversion of light into electricity by a diode

3.3. Separation of electrons and holes: the solar cell as diode

3.4. Solar cell characteristics, equivalent circuits and key parameters

3.5. Solar cell efficiency limits 3.6. Spectral Response and Quantum Efficiency in Solar cells

3.7. References

4. Solar Cells: Optical and Recombination Losses

4.1. Optical losses

4.2. Recombination losses

4.3. References

5. Crystalline silicon solar cells: Homojunction cells

5.1. Production of silicon wafers and solar cells

5.2. Cell processing for the Al-BSF cell

5.3. PERC cell (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell)

5.4. Other Homojunction cell concepts

5.5. References

6. Amorphous silicon solar cells

6.1. Amorphous silicon: deposition method and layer properties

6.2. Amorphous silicon solar cells

6.3. Microcrystalline silicon solar cells

6.4. References

7. Crystalline silicon solar cells: Heterojunction (HJT) cells

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Cell Structure

7.3. n- and p-type Wafers

7.4. Cell Process Steps

7.5. Temperature Coefficient of HJT Cells

7.6. Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of HJT cells

7.7. References

8. CdTe and CuInGaSe2 thin-film solar cells

8.1. Thin-film polycrystalline materials

8.2. CIGS solar cells

8.3. CdTe/CdS solar cells

8.4. Flexible thin-film solar cells

8.5. In-line fabrication

8.6. Performance under critical conditions

8.7. Environmental aspects

8.8. References

9. Solar Module technology

9.1. Electrical layout of solar modules

9.2. Module architectures, materials and processes

9.3. Module testing, reliability and lifetime

9.4. References

10. Module deployment and energy rating

10.1. Preliminary remarks

10.2. From power rating to energy rating

10.3. Three relevant exceptions

10.4. Energy losses and failure modes

10.5. Simulation and monitoring: energy yield measurement

10.6. References

11. Solar photovoltaics on land, water, and buildings

11.1. Solar electricity for powering the word

11.2. Solar on land

11.3. Solar on water

11.4. Solar on buildings

11.5. Solar in developing countries

11.6. Solar everywhere

11.7. References

12. Solar PV Systems

12.1. Overview Solar PV Systems

12.2. The solar generator

12.3. Off-grid PV systems 12.4. Grid-connected PV systems

12.5. Explanation of Symbols

12.6. References

13. Photovoltaics in the future energy system 13.1. Market development

13.2. Regulatory issues

13.3. Sustainability

13.4. System integration

13.5. References