Enhancing efficiency of photovoltaic cells by optimizations of their thin films

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Canada currently consumes 600 terawatt-hours (1 terawatt-hour=1000,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh), which is most commonly known as a billing unit for energy delivered to consumers) of electricity with a cost of $35 billion. Canada also exports over 50% of its primary energy production. Present energy resources such as oil, gas and coal will run out in a few decades, and burning these so-called fossil fuels brings us challenges in climate and environment changes, such as global warming and very serious pollutions. Solar energy is clean and the most powerful alternative. One hour sun-light on earth covers one year global energy consumption. However, solar cells or photovoltaic (PV) cells, devices that absorber the sunlight, and convert this solar energy to electricity, reach only 20% sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiency at high fabrication price.This proposal addresses our strategies of making thin film PV cells for renewable energy from the sun, using rich chemical elements in Canada such as Copper, Zinc, Indium, Selenium and sulphur. We will develop low-cost PV cells on flexible stainless steel foils (SSF, pieces or rolls), which are easy to install on roof tops, and have a long durability. This project extends our patent-pending technology of low-temperature one-pot electrodeposition of sunlight absorber materials to the best performance and at lowest cost. The PV cell is expected to generate greater than 14% solar energy. Within three years, the strategic project will deliver prototypes of PV cells in 15 cm x 15 cm pieces of SSF or rolls with a width of 30 cm. The strategic project will lead to the following benefits to Canada: (a) Wealth creation including new start-ups to produce the PV products; new business in the value chain of these new start-ups; new and attractive employment opportunities;and new sources of renewable energy; and (b) The health and environmental benefits include those associated with the green manufacturing considerations explained in the proposal, and with the introduction of green renewable energy sources to reduce non-renewable energy consumption, global warming potential in the next 100 years (GWP100), and other environmental loads.