Enhancing efficiency of photovoltaic cells by optimizations of their thin films

加拿大目前消耗600太瓦时（1太瓦时=10亿千瓦时（kWh），这是最常见的能源交付给消费者的计费单位）的电力成本为350亿美元。加拿大也出口超过50%的初级能源产品。目前的能源资源，如石油、天然气和煤炭将在几十年内耗尽，燃烧这些所谓的化石燃料给我们带来了气候和环境变化的挑战，如全球变暖和非常严重的污染。太阳能是清洁和最强大的替代能源。地球上一小时的日照相当于全球一年的能源消耗。然而，太阳能电池或光伏（PV）电池是一种吸收阳光并将其转化为电能的装置，其光电转换效率仅为20%，制造成本也很高。该方案解决了我们的战略，即利用加拿大丰富的化学元素，如铜、锌、铟、硒和硫，为来自太阳的可再生能源制造薄膜光伏电池。我们将开发基于柔性不锈钢箔（SSF，片或卷）的低成本光伏电池，这种电池易于安装在屋顶上，并且具有较长的耐用性。本项目将我们正在申请专利的低温一锅电沉积太阳能吸收材料技术扩展到性能最好、成本最低的水平。光伏电池预计将产生超过14%的太阳能。在三年内，该战略项目将交付15厘米× 15厘米宽30厘米的SSF卷的光伏电池原型。该战略项目将为加拿大带来以下好处：(a)创造财富，包括生产光伏产品的新初创企业；这些新创企业价值链中的新业务；新的和有吸引力的就业机会；开发新的可再生能源；(b)健康和环境效益包括与提案中解释的绿色制造考虑因素有关的效益，以及与引入绿色可再生能源以减少不可再生能源消耗、未来100年全球变暖潜势（GWP100）和其他环境负荷有关的效益。

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.