What are the latest trends in silicon photovoltaic cell development?

The latest trends in silicon photovoltaic cell development are methods involving the generation of additional levels of energy in the semiconductor’s band structure. The most advanced studies of manufacturing technology and efficiency improvements are now concentrated on third-generation solar cells.

What are silicon-based solar cells?

Silicon-based PV cells were the first sector of photovoltaics to enter the market, using processing information and raw materials supplied by the industry of microelectronics. Solar cells based on silicon now comprise more than 80% of the world’s installed capacity and have a 90% market share.

How efficient are crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells?

At the laboratory scale, reaching 25% efficiency was recorded as early as 1999, and since then, very minimal improvements in efficiency values have been achieved. Since the appearance of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, their efficiency has increased by 20.1%, from 6% when they were first discovered to the current record of 26.1% efficiency.

How efficient are silicon cells?

Most of the standard second-generation technologies show efficiencies of 20–25%, and while they are expensive, the cost of silicon cells has come down and it is the improvement of silicon technologies that is now one of the key research directions .

What is a 5% efficient photoelectrochemical solar cell?

A 5% efficient photoelectrochemical solar cell based on nanostructured ZnO electrodes. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells. 2002;73:51–58. doi: 10.1016/S0927-0248 (01)00110-6.

How to produce solar cells with 10 % efficiency?

A range of comparatively easy and inexpensive approaches have been used to produce solar cells with 10–16% efficiency. Examples of several promising cheap deposition techniques include (1) close-space sublimation, (2) spray deposition, (3) electrodeposition, (4) screen printing, and (5) sputtering .