NRELâs âBest Research-Cell Efficiency Chartâ allows researchers to easily compare the performance of specific PV technologies, stretching back 50 years. Itâs regularly updated and is free to use, explains Wayne Hicks and Harrison Dreves at NREL. A new âinteractiveâ version is now available. The focus is on crystalline silicon cells, single-junction gallium arsenide cells, multijunction cells, thin films, and emerging PV. For example, you can … [Read more...]
The search for âthin filmâ solar PV: stable, efficient, non-toxic, abundant
Around 95% of the worldâs solar modules are made with silicon. Itâs stable against temperature and humidity fluctuations and weâll never run out of it. But itâs quite inefficient at absorbing sunlight, and very brittle. So the silicon layers in PV have to be quite thick to capture sunlight and resist cracking, leading to heavy and bulky solar panels. The remaining 5% of solar modules are âthin filmâ, opening the way for game-changing lightweight … [Read more...]
