Advanced Inorganic Materials for Photovoltaics
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Abdelilah Slaoui and Reuben T. Collins, Guest Editors Abstract By 2050, world annual energy consumption is predicted to grow from the present 13 terawatt-years (TWyr) to nearly 30 TWyr. Although all energy sources must be considered in meeting this challenge, solar energy may arguably be the only carbonfree source capable of supplying a significant fraction of energy at these levels. This issue of MRS Bulletin reviews the status and future development of solar photovoltaic technologies based on inorganic materials. The discussion begins with materials and cell designs for second-generation photovoltaics based on thin films [a-Si:H, Si, Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2, CdTe]. Recent advances in tandem cells and concentrators are also reported, along with photovoltaic approaches involving nanoscale materials such as quantum dot arrays. Finally, work on transparent conducting oxides that are critical to nearly all cell designs are discussed.
Photovoltaic Market World annual energy consumption is predicted to grow from the current 13 terawattyears (TWyr) to as much as 30 TWyr by 2050.1 As we struggle to meet this huge demand, the global energy sector will also face two pressing issues: declining fossil reserves and climate change caused by artificially produced greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power is considered a leading candidate for reduced-carbon-emission electricity production. There is, however, uncertainty about the size of nuclear fuel reserves, the efficiency of nuclear reactors when using lower-grade uranium ores, and the likelihood of finding satisfactory solutions for nuclear waste disposal. Estimates by the International Atomic Energy Agency indicate that nuclear power growth will flatten in coming years.2 In terms of renewable sources, hydroelectric power is one of the dominant technologies today, but supply expansion is limited. Wind power is approaching competitiveness with conventional power production and must be considered as an important source in meeting future energy needs. Some estimates, however, place the
total usable wind energy production in the 2–4 TWyr range, much less than the 30 TWyr level.1 With roughly 125,000 TW of solar power striking the earth at any time, solar may be the only renewable energy source with the capacity to meet a large fraction of future needs. There are many different approaches for capturing solar energy.1 Photosynthetic solar conversion for biofuel production is under active investigation. Solar thermal systems convert the sun’s radiation into thermal energy for heating applications or, in conjunction with solar concentration, into electricity. This article deals with photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation, and the key issue is cost. Assuming a 20-yr system lifetime, the present cost of PV-generated electricity is in the range of $0.25–$0.65/kWh, as compared with the cost of coal-based electricity, which is closer to $0.04/kWh.3 Generating a significant fraction of future energy requirements from PVs is a major challenge, particularly because present PV production is almost
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