Introduces the field in an intuitive and accessible manner

Provides an up-to-date survey of research and development of crystalline silicon wafer-based and thin-film solar cells

Presents important production techniques and applications of this technology

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1. Photovoltaics: potential and orders of magnitude

1.2. Photovoltaics: a choice of technology

1.3. Photovoltaics: Technology evolution

1.4. Photovoltaics: Manufacturing chain and efficiency increases

1.5. Photovoltaics: Impact of technology on energy pay-back time

1.6. Beyond silicon single-junction solar cells.

1.8. PV in future energy systems

1.9. References

2. Solar Spectra

2.1. Interaction of sunlight and the earth's atmosphere

2.2. Albedo

2.3. Indoor lighting

2.4. "Lux" as a unit of light measurement

2.5. Moonlight

2.6. Irradiance and irradiation

2.7. References

3. Solar Cells: Basics

Preamble: Some basic terms from semiconductor physics

3.1. The photovoltaic effect: Interaction of light and matter

3.2. Conversion of light into electricity by a diode

3.3. Separation of electrons and holes: the solar cell as diode

3.4. Solar cell characteristics, equivalent circuits and key parameters

3.5. Solar cell efficiency limits

3.7. References

4. Solar Cells: Optical and Recombination Losses

4.1. Optical losses

4.2. Recombination losses

4.3. References

5. Crystalline silicon solar cells: Homojunction cells

5.1. Production of silicon wafers and solar cells

5.2. Cell processing for the Al-BSF cell

5.3. PERC cell (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell)

5.4. Other Homojunction cell concepts

5.5. References

6. Amorphous silicon solar cells

6.1. Amorphous silicon: deposition method and layer properties

6.2. Amorphous silicon solar cells

6.3. Microcrystalline silicon solar cells

6.4. References

7. Crystalline silicon solar cells: Heterojunction (HJT) cells

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Cell Structure

7.3. n- and p-type Wafers

7.4. Cell Process Steps

7.5. Temperature Coefficient of HJT Cells

7.6. Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of HJT cells

7.7. References

8. CdTe and CuInGaSe2 thin-film solar cells

8.1. Thin-film polycrystalline materials

8.2. CIGS solar cells

8.3. CdTe/CdS solar cells

8.4. Flexible thin-film solar cells

8.5. In-line fabrication

8.6. Performance under critical conditions

8.7. Environmental aspects

8.8. References

9. Solar Module technology

9.1. Electrical layout of solar modules

9.2. Module architectures, materials and processes

9.3. Module testing, reliability and lifetime

9.4. References

10. Module deployment and energy rating

10.1. Preliminary remarks

10.2. From power rating to energy rating

10.3. Three relevant exceptions

10.4. Energy losses and failure modes

10.5. Simulation and monitoring: energy yield measurement

10.6. References

11. Solar photovoltaics on land, water, and buildings

11.1. Solar electricity for powering the word

11.2. Solar on land

11.3. Solar on water

11.4. Solar on buildings

11.5. Solar in developing countries

11.6. Solar everywhere

11.7. References

12. Solar PV Systems

12.1. Overview Solar PV Systems

12.2. The solar generator

12.3. Off-grid PV systems

12.5. Explanation of Symbols

12.6. References

13. Photovoltaics in the future energy system

13.2. Regulatory issues

13.3. Sustainability

13.4. System integration

13.5. References