Thin film solar modules: The low cost, high throughput and versatile alternative to Si wafers
Thin film solar modules: The low cost, high throughput and versatile alternative to Si wafers
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DOI：
10.1002/pip.704
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发表时间：
2006-08-01
影响因子：
6.7
通讯作者：
Hegedus, S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hegedus, S.
薄膜太阳能电池（TFSC）已经度过了青春期，并准备为世界发电做出重大贡献。与c-Si太阳能组件相比，它们在易于大面积，制造成本更低以及几种类型的应用方面具有优势。讨论了限制TFSC模块性能相对于冠军电池性能的因素，以及提高吞吐量和产量的重要性。几项研究的共识是，如果使用具有高材料利用率和喷雾封装剂的克隆设备的平行生产线进行足够大规模的生产，所有TFSC的成本都可以低于1美元/瓦。小投资者和大公司对TFSC产生了重大的新商业兴趣，这证实了薄膜的方法。本文讨论了使TFSC在两个特定市场上优于c-Si的独特特性：小型农村太阳能家庭系统和建筑集成光伏装置。TFSC在年能源产量（千瓦时/千瓦）方面优于c-Si，在室外耐久性方面可与c-Si媲美，并在全球范围内用于兆瓦级装置。薄膜方法的优点不能仅根据效率来判断，还必须考虑模块性能和低成本的潜力。TFSC倡导者应该宣传其与c-Si相比的独特优点：更低的成本，更高的kWhr/kW输出，更高的电池充电电流，吸引人的视觉外观，柔性衬底，与c-Si相当的长期稳定性，以及多种沉积途径，具有创新和进化改进的空间。如果能降低成本，即使以目前的效率来看，TFSC仍有巨大的市场。由于硅的短缺，TFSC在未来几年有一个短暂的机会。必须更持久地向资助决策者和客户宣传TFSC所展示的能力和优势，而不尽量减少剩余的挑战。版权所有(C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd。
Thin film solar cells (TFSC) have passed adolescence and are ready to make a substantial contribution to the world's electricity generation. They can have advantages over c-Si solar modules in ease of large area, lower cost manufacturing and in several types of applications. Factors which limit TFSC module performance relative to champion cell performance are discussed along with the importance of increased throughput and yield. The consensus of several studies is that all TFSC can achieve costs below 1$/W if manufactured at sufficiently large scale >100 MW using parallel lines of cloned equipment with high material utilization and spray-on encapsulants. There is significant new commercial interest in TFSC from small investors and large corporations, validating the thin film approach. Unique characteristics are discussed which give TFSC an advantage over c-Si in two specific markets: small rural solar home systems and building integrated photovoltaic installations. TFSC have outperformed c-Si in annual energy production (kWhrs/kW), have demonstrated outdoor durability comparable to c-Si and are being used in MW scale installations worldwide. The merits of the thin film approach cannot be judged on the basis of efficiency alone but must also account for module performance and potential for low cost. TFSC advocates should promote their unique virtues compared to c-Si: lower cost, higher kWhr/kW output, higher battery charging current, attractive visual appearance, flexible substrates, long-term stability comparable to c-Si, and multiple pathways for deposition with room for innovation and evolutionary improvement. There is a huge market for TFSC even at today's efficiency if costs can be reduced. A brief window of opportunity exists for TFSC over the next few years due the Si shortage. The demonstrated capabilities and advantages of TFSC must be proclaimed more persistently to funding decision-makers and customers without minimizing the remaining challenges. Copyright (C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.