I/UCRC Phase II: Next Generation Photovoltaics

用于下一代光伏(NGPV)的IUCRC是一个进入第二阶段运行的双站点I/UCRC。该中心由德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校和科罗拉多州立大学的人员和设施组成。能源可持续性是现代社会面临的重大挑战之一，太阳能是可再生能源的重要来源。太阳光可以通过光伏(PV)装置或太阳能电池直接转化为电能，下一代光伏(NGPV)IUCRC的愿景和长期目标是帮助将光伏发电确立为美国和世界的主要能源。NGPV IUCRC处于光伏研究的前沿。该项目的目标是为该中心带来技术、工程、教育和政策方面的进步，使光伏发电的使用显著增加，并使太阳能发电成为主要的能源来源。该研究计划侧重于推进光伏材料和设备，寻求在降低成本的同时提高设备效率，以及光伏行业面临的其他关键问题，包括与系统平衡(BOS)、维护和运营(M&Amp；O)、部署战略、政策和教育相关的挑战。NGPV IUCRC为光伏行业和大学研究人员之间提供了一个合作环境，使光伏领域取得突破性进展。为了使太阳能成为一种主要的能源，该中心正在努力引入一些技术、工程、教育和政策方面的进步。在NGPV IUCRC第一阶段期间，与工业界密切合作，制定了降低太阳能电池发电成本的新战略。例如，在I/UCRC研究计划内创造了关键技术，并将其转化为工业，供光伏组件生产商商业使用，并导致成立了三家初创公司。近40名各级学生在该中心接受了培训。为了满足该行业的需求，德克萨斯农工大学(TAMU)和科罗拉多矿业学院正在建立新的研究基地。在任职人数不足的群体中招聘和培训学生将继续是NGPV IUCRC的一项重点工作，目的是显着增加学术界和光伏产业劳动力的多样性。

The IUCRC for Next Generation Photovoltaics (NGPV) is a two-site I/UCRC entering its second Phase of operation. The center comprises personnel and facilities at The University of Texas at Austin and Colorado State University. Energy sustainability represents one of the grand challenges facing modern society, and solar power provides an important source of renewable energy. Sunlight can be converted directly to electricity using a photovoltaic (PV) device, or solar cell, and the vision and long-term goal of the Next Generation Photovoltaics (NGPV) IUCRC is to help establish PV electricity as a major source of energy in the United States and the world. The NGPV IUCRC is at the forefront of PV research. The goals of this project are for the Center to bring technological, engineering, educational and policy advances to enable a significant increase in the use of PV and make solar electricity a major source of energy. The research program focuses on advancing PV materials and devices, seeking to improve device efficiencies while lowering cost, as well as other key issues facing the PV industry, including challenges associated with balance of systems (BOS), maintenance and operations (M&O), deployment strategies, policy and education. The NGPV IUCRC provides a collaborative environment between the PV industry and university researchers to enable ground-breaking advances in PV. To enable solar to be a major source of energy, the Center is working to introduce a number of technological, engineering, educational, and policy advances. During Phase I of the NGPV IUCRC, working in close collaboration with industry, new strategies have been developed to lower the cost of power generated by solar cells. For instance, key technologies have been created within the I/UCRC research program and translated into industry for commercial use by PV module producers and has resulted in the formation of three startup companies. Nearly 40 students at all levels have been trained in the center. To address the needs of the Industry, new research sites at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and the Colorado School of Mines are being created. Recruitment and training of students among under-represented groups will continue to be a focus effort of the NGPV IUCRC with the aim of significantly increasing the diversity of the workforce in both academia and the PV industry.