SBIR Phase I: Highly Efficient CdTe Thin Film Solar Cells with Ordered Structure

SBIR 第一阶段：具有有序结构的高效 CdTe 薄膜太阳能电池

• 批准号: 0810026
• 负责人: Lisen Cheng
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: NanoGreen Solutions Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-07-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0810026&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Highly; Efficient; CdTe

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses an innovative device fabrication process and bulk hetero-junction structure to fabricate CdTe solar cells with unprecedented performance. Today's crystalline silicon based solar cell technologies are not cost effective as a viable alternative to existing energy sources. CdTe based solar cells have shown very promising as a low cost alternative to current crystalline silicon solar cells. However, the energy conversion efficiency of commercial CdTe solar cells is only ~ 10%. With this innovative approach it is intended to improve energy conversion efficiency up to the limit efficiency of ~29% for CdTe based solar cells, representing a real breakthrough in thin film solar cells and leading to tremendously wide applications.World solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 1,744 megawatts (MW) in 2006, representing growth of 19% over the previous year. World solar cell production reached a consolidated figure of 2,204 MW in 2006, up from 1,656 MW a year earlier. Global industry revenues were $10.6bn in 2006. According to a new report from Solarbuzz, LLC, annual worldwide industry revenues will reach between $18.6bn and $31.5bn by 2011. Currently, the solar cell market is dominated by crystalline silicon solar cells with a market share of ~93%. If successful the proposed approach can improve the energy efficiency of CdTe based solar cells to the next level, which enables them to compete with (even outperform) current crystalline silicon solar cells. With improved efficiency and low cost, CdTe solar cells will get a significant share of the solar market. There is an extensive range of applications where solar cells are already viewed as the best option for electricity supply such as ocean navigation aids, telecommunication systems, remote monitoring and control, rural electrification, space power and domestic power supply. The proposed green technology harvests solar energy, reducing the emission of CO2 and global warming. This program also provides a route to enhance scientific and technological understanding of crystal growth process at the nano-scale.

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目致力于创新设备制造工艺和大块异质结结构，以制造具有前所未有性能的CdTe太阳能电池。目前以晶体硅为基础的太阳能电池技术作为现有能源的可行替代方案，成本效益不高。CdTe基太阳能电池作为目前晶体硅太阳能电池的低成本替代品，已经显示出非常有前景。然而，商用CdTe太阳能电池的能量转换效率只有~ 10%。通过这种创新的方法，它旨在将CdTe基太阳能电池的能量转换效率提高到29%的极限效率，这代表了薄膜太阳能电池的真正突破，并导致了极其广泛的应用。2006年，世界太阳能光伏（PV）市场安装量达到创纪录的1,744兆瓦（MW），比前一年增长19%。2006年，全球太阳能电池产量达到了2204兆瓦的综合数字，高于前一年的1656兆瓦。2006年全球行业收入为106亿美元。根据Solarbuzz， LLC的一份新报告，到2011年，全球行业年收入将达到186亿至315亿美元。目前，太阳能电池市场以晶体硅太阳能电池为主，市场占有率约为93%。如果成功，所提出的方法可以将基于CdTe的太阳能电池的能源效率提高到一个新的水平，这使它们能够与目前的晶体硅太阳能电池竞争（甚至超越）。由于效率的提高和成本的降低，CdTe太阳能电池将在太阳能市场上占有重要的份额。太阳能电池已被广泛视为电力供应的最佳选择，如海洋导航辅助设备、电信系统、远程监测和控制、农村电气化、空间电力和家庭电力供应。拟议中的绿色技术收集太阳能，减少二氧化碳排放和全球变暖。该项目还提供了一条途径，以加强对纳米尺度晶体生长过程的科学和技术理解。