scholarly journals Forecasting the Development of Different Solar Cell Technologies

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Morales-Acevedo ◽  
Gaspar Casados-Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
National Renewable Energy Laboratory ◽  
Simple Mathematical Model ◽  
Cell Technologies ◽  
Device Structures ◽  
Near Future

Solar cells are made of several materials and device structures with the main goal of having maximum efficiency at low cost. Some types of solar cells have shown a rapid efficiency progress whereas others seem to remain constant as a consequence of different factors such as the technological and economic ones. Using information published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) about the increase of solar cells record efficiency, we apply a simple mathematical model to estimate the evolution in the near future for the different cell technologies. Here, as an example, we use data for solar cells made with representative materials and structures of each of the three “PV generations.”

scholarly journals Numerical simulation for optimization of ultra-thin n-type AZO and TiO2 based textured p-type c-Si Heterojunction Solar Cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandan Yadav ◽  
sushil kumar
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Heterojunction Solar Cell ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽  
Type Layer ◽  
P Type

Abstract A maximum efficiency of 17% for ultra-thin n-type AZO layer and 17.5% for ultra-thin n-type TiO2 layer based silicon heterojunction solar cell is reported by optimizing its properties which is much higher than practically obtained efficiency signifying a lot of improvements can be performed to improve efficiency of TiO2/Si and AZO/Si heterojunction solar cell. AZO layer and TiO2 layer is used as n-type emitter layer and crystalline silicon wafer is used as p-type (p-cSi) layer for modelling AZO/Si and TiO2/Si heterojunctions solar cell respectively using AFORS HET automat simulation software. Various parameters like thickness of AZO, TiO2 layer, p-cSi layer, doping concentration of donors (Nd) and effective conduction band density (Nc) are optimized. Finally, texturing at different angle is studied and maximum efficiency is reported at 70 µm thick p-type crystalline Silicon (p-cSi) wafer, that can be very helpful for manufacturing low cost HJ solar cells at industrial scale because of thin wafer and removal of additional processing setup required for deposition of amorphous silicon i-layer. Utilization of TiO2 and Aluminium doped Zinc Oxide as n-type layer and p-cSi as p-type layer can help in producing low cost and efficient heterojunction (HJ) than compared to HJ with intrinsic thin layer HIT solar cells.

scholarly journals Excited-State Dynamics of Organic Dyes in Solar Cells

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. El-Zohry
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Excited State ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Organic Dyes ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Redox Couple ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
High Efficient ◽  
Near Future

Organic dyes are promising candidates for wide applications in solar cells, due to their controlled environmental impact, and low-cost. However, their performances in several solar cell architectures are not high enough to compete with the traditional semiconductor based solar cells. Therefore, several efforts should be gathered to improve the efficiency of these organic dyes. Herein, we discuss several deactivation processes recently found in several organic dyes using optical spectroscopic techniques. These processes are believed to be mostly detrimental for the performance of organic dyes in solar cells. These processes include deactivation phenomena such as isomerization, twisting, and chemical interactions with redox couple. Thus, based on similar studies, more optimized synthetic procedures for organic dyes could be implemented in the near future for high efficient solar cells based on organic dyes.

Organic and nano-structured composite photovoltaics: An overview

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 3167-3179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie E. Gledhill ◽  
Brian Scott ◽  
Brian A. Gregg
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Organic Semiconductors ◽  
Organic Solar Cells ◽  
Organic Materials ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Charge Generation ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Excitonic Solar Cells

Organic photovoltaic devices are poised to fill the low-cost, low power niche in the solar cell market. Recently measured efficiencies of solid-state organic cells are nudging 5% while Grätzel’s more established dye-sensitized solar cell technology is more than double this. A fundamental understanding of the excitonic nature of organic materials is an essential backbone for device engineering. Bound electron-hole pairs, “excitons,” are formed in organic semiconductors on photo-absorption. In the organic solar cell, the exciton must diffuse to the donor–accepter interface for simultaneous charge generation and separation. This interface is critical as the concentration of charge carriers is high and recombination here is higher than in the bulk. Nanostructured engineering of the interface has been utilized to maximize organic materials properties, namely to compensate the poor exciton diffusion lengths and lower mobilities. Excitonic solar cells have different limitations on their open-circuit photo-voltages due to these high interfacial charge carrier concentrations, and their behavior cannot be interpreted as if they were conventional solar cells. This article briefly reviews some of the differences between excitonic organic solar cells and conventional inorganic solar cells and highlights some of the technical strategies used in this rapidly progressing field, whose ultimate aim is for organic solar cells to be a commercial reality.

Nanotechnology for Photovoltaic Energy

2014 ◽  
pp. 319-346
Author(s):  
Salahuddin Qazi ◽  
Farhan A. Qazi
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Photovoltaic Cells ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Silicon Based

Solar radiation is plentiful and a clean source of power. However, despite the first practical use of silicon based solar cell more than 50 years ago, it has not been exploited to its full potential due to the high cost of electrical conversion on a per Watt basis. Many new kinds of photovoltaic cells such as multi-junction solar cells dye –sensitized solar cells and organic solar cell incorporating element of nanotechnology have been proposed to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost. Nanotechnology, in the form of quantum dots, nanorods, nanotubes, and grapheme, has been shown to enhance absorption of sunlight, makes low cost flexible solar panels and increases the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. The chapter reviews the state of current photovoltaic cells and challenges it presents. It also discusses the use of nanotechnology in the application of photovoltaic cells and future research directions to improve the efficiency of solar cells and reduce the cost.

Nanotechnology for Photovoltaic Energy

2013 ◽  
pp. 163-191
Author(s):  
Salahuddin Qazi ◽  
Farhan A. Qazi
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Photovoltaic Cells ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Silicon Based

Solar radiation is plentiful and a clean source of power. However, despite the first practical use of silicon based solar cell more than 50 years ago, it has not been exploited to its full potential due to the high cost of electrical conversion on a per Watt basis. Many new kinds of photovoltaic cells such as multi-junction solar cells dye –sensitized solar cells and organic solar cell incorporating element of nanotechnology have been proposed to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost. Nanotechnology, in the form of quantum dots, nanorods, nanotubes, and grapheme, has been shown to enhance absorption of sunlight, makes low cost flexible solar panels and increases the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. The chapter reviews the state of current photovoltaic cells and challenges it presents. It also discusses the use of nanotechnology in the application of photovoltaic cells and future research directions to improve the efficiency of solar cells and reduce the cost.

scholarly journals III–V Multijunction Solar Cell Integration with Silicon: Present Status, Challenges and Future Outlook

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (3-4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhil Jain ◽  
Mantu K. Hudait
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Si Substrate ◽  
Future Outlook ◽  
Si Solar Cells ◽  
Multijunction Solar Cells ◽  
The Future ◽  
Multijunction Solar Cell

AbstractAchieving high-efficiency solar cells and at the same time driving down the cell cost has been among the key objectives for photovoltaic researchers to attain a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE). While the performance of silicon (Si) based solar cells have almost saturated at an efficiency of ~25%, III–V compound semiconductor based solar cells have steadily shown performance improvement at ~1% (absolute) increase per year, with a recent record efficiency of 44.7%. Integration of such high-efficiency III–V multijunction solar cells on significantly cheaper and large area Si substrate has recently attracted immense interest to address the future LCOE roadmaps by unifying the high-efficiency merits of III–V materials with low-cost and abundance of Si. This review article will discuss the current progress in the development of III–V multijunction solar cell integration onto Si substrate. The current state-of-the-art for III–V-on-Si solar cells along with their theoretical performance projections is presented. Next, the key design criteria and the technical challenges associated with the integration of III–V multijunction solar cells on Si are reviewed. Different technological routes for integrating III–V solar cells on Si substrate through heteroepitaxial integration and via mechanical stacking approach are presented. The key merits and technical challenges for all of the till-date available technologies are summarized. Finally, the prospects, opportunities and future outlook toward further advancing the performance of III–V-on-Si multijunction solar cells are discussed. With the plummeting price of Si solar cells accompanied with the tremendous headroom available for improving the III–V solar cell efficiencies, the future prospects for successful integration of III–V solar cell technology onto Si substrate look very promising to unlock an era of next generation of high-efficiency and low-cost photovoltaics.

Radial p-n Junction Solar Cells by Core-Shell Silicon Nanowire Arrays

2012 ◽  
Vol 1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tai-Yuan Huang ◽  
Ta-Jen Yen
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Effective Medium Theory ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Silicon Nanowire ◽  
Diffusion Path ◽  
Absorption Efficiency ◽  
Core Shell ◽  
Sinw Array ◽  
Single Crystalline

ABSTRACTWe first fabricated a p-type single-crystalline SiNW array as the core by statistic electroless metal deposition (SEMD) method[1]. This structure exhibits per excellent absorption efficiency without increasing the diffusion path, indicating 1.75 times greater performance than Si-based planar solar cells under the same condition[2]. Next, we employed a method of spin-on dopant (SOD) to fabricate an n-type layer as an external thin shell, which benefits to decouple the absorption of light from charge transport by allowing lateral diffusion of minority carriers to the p-n junction rather than many microns away as in Si bulk solar cells, and is suitable for our SiNW array with a hydrophilic surface. Finally, our SiNW-based solar cell possesses strong broadband absorption and low reflection from visible light to near IR, in which the highly light trapping mechanism stems from the effective medium theory (EMT) to demonstrate only less than 3% of total reflectance in the range of 500-1100 nm. It also shows conversion efficiency improvement of 20% compared with the planar single-crystalline Si solar cell by the same fabrication processes. The proposed novel photovoltaic device by our core-shell SiNW array revolutionizes the current architecture of solar cells, promising niche points of (1) better absorption, (2) self-antireflection, and (3) low-cost process.

scholarly journals Potential of Betanin Natural Dye for Solar Cells Application

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoufel Ben Hamadi
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Photovoltaic Effect ◽  
Photovoltaic Cells ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Emission Spectra ◽  
Photovoltaic Cell ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Photovoltaic Properties

Abstract Background: A photovoltaic cell, or solar cell, is an electronic component which, exposed to light, produces electricity thanks to the photovoltaic effect. Organic photovoltaic cells are photovoltaic cells of which at least the active layer consists of organic molecules. It has a yield of at least 15%. The future prospects of the research for solar cells application has required for the development in the field.Main body: Dye-sensitized solar cells are considered to be promising candidates for low-cost solar energy harvesting using sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. In general, solar cells sensitized to dyes consist of three parts: TiO2 sensitized to the photoanode dye with porous film on a transparent conductive glass, an electrolyte solution penetrating through the TiO2 anode film, and the conductive oxide transparent platinum glass as counter electrode.Conclusion: In this work, betanin dye was extracted from mature red fruits of Opuntia ficus indica and purified with fractional crystallization protocol using an 8:2 (v/v) ratio of ethyl acetate/ethanol. TiO2_films with different thickness values have been prepared CV and US sensitization of TiO2_films using betanin dye prove an enhancement on the uniformity distribution of the dye on the film in case of US method. Emission spectra of Dye_TiO2 films have been measured and show a hyperchromic shift of the emission intensity with the increase of the thickness due to the augmentation of betanin content. A comparison between the photovoltaic properties of prepared betanin_DSSC and N719 dye_DSSC reveals that betanin dye could be successfully proposed as a sensitizing dye in solar cell applications.

scholarly journals Advances on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) Nanostructures and Natural Colorants: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 288
Author(s):  
José A. Castillo-Robles ◽  
Enrique Rocha-Rangel ◽  
José A. Ramírez-de-León ◽  
Frida C. Caballero-Rico ◽  
Eddie N. Armendáriz-Mireles
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Extraction Methods ◽  
Semiconductor Film ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Silicon Based

Human beings are attempting to take advantage of renewable natural resources by using solar cells. These devices take the sun’s radiation and convert it into electrical energy. The issue with traditional silicon-based solar cells is their manufacturing costs and environmental problems. For this reason, alternatives have been developed within the solar cell field. One of these alternatives is the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), also known as Grätzel solar cells. DSSCs are a type of solar cell that mimics photosynthesis. They have a photoanode, which is formed by a semiconductor film sensitized with a dye. Some of their advantages include low-cost manufacturing, eco-friendly materials use, and suitability for most environments. This review discusses four important aspects, with two related to the dye, which can be natural or synthetic. Herein, only natural dyes and their extraction methods were selected. On the other hand, this paper discusses the nanostructures used for DSSCs, the TiO2 nanostructure being the most reported; it recently reached an efficiency level of 10.3%. Finally, a review on the novelties in DSSCs technology is presented, where it is observed that the use of Catrin protein (cow brain) shows 1.45% of efficiency, which is significantly lower if compared to Ag nanoparticles doped with graphene that report 9.9% efficiency.

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