Renewable Energy

Photovoltaic - Solar Cell

Daniel Pham

Solar Source
The average solar power incident on Continental
US is 1600 x 1012 W
This is 500x the power consumption in US
(3.3 x 1012 W)
If we cover 2% of the continental US with 10%
efficient PV systems, we would make all the energy
we need.
FYI:
1.5% of Continental US is covered by roads

Drivers for Solar power

2 billions people without electricity
worldwide
Low cost for remote requirements
Power line extension costs $10,000
to $30,000 per mile
Reduce peaking loads
Government subsidies
Environmental friendly

How Photovoltaic Solar Cell Work

p-n junction

Light can be separated into different wavelengths

Only photon has more energy required can generate electron-hole pair

Theoretical Efficiency of Photovoltaic Cell

High band gap PV cell provides higher voltage

Typical efficiency of commercial PV is around 12%

Types of Photovoltaic Cell

First Generation PV Cell:

Single crystalline silicon

Multi-junction cell (different band-gap materials)

Second Generation PV Cell:

Thin film silicon (amorphous silicon)

CdTe (Cadmium Telluride)
CuInSe2 (Copper Indium Diselenide)

Third Generation PV Cell

Ultra-High Efficiency concepts (>80%)

Ultra-low Cost
Polymer cells with quantum dots or nanostructures

CdTe rods in polymer

Carbon nanotube on Si
for more efficient solar power

Photovoltaic Roadmap

1st Generation PV
Crystalline Silicon
2nd Generation PV
Thin Film
3rd Generation PV
Ultra-High Efficiency
Ultra-Low Cost

Source: European Commission meeting Dec. 2004

Decline Price of PV

Where is the cost:

PV manufacturing cost
Produce wafer (40%)
Fabricate cell (30%)
Interconnect and laminate (30%)

Installation cost (same as cost

of the module)

State, federal, utility and

other subsidize combine
paying half of the cost

Worldwide PV Growth

Source: European Commission meeting Dec. 2004

Future Reality ?
If the PV market growth continues at rate of
20% and panel lasts 50yrs, there will be 100 TW
of energy provide by PV cells on the ground

Within 50 years, photovoltaic will

supply more than half of the worlds
supply energy

Government Policy For Solar Energy

National Energy Policy Act of 1992

Using other alternative energy sources by 2010

Reduce green house gas emission by other alternative energy sources

Alternative Fuels Initiative (Summer 1998)

Energy Smart Schools, to cut energy bills in schools and reinvest the savings in
educating the nation's most valuable resource - our children. (Solar power panel
started installing in schools)

The Million Solar Roofs Initiative, announced in June, 1997,

by President Clinton, to install solar energy systems on one million
rooftops by the year 2010.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005, the new national energy law signed by President
Bush on August 8, 2005,
valuable federal tax credits

Financial Opportunity

Federal, State and subsidize for consumer

Grants, Federal funding for manufacturing and development

Conclusions
Solar power source is abundant
Many types of PV cells are in development
to meet to PV Roadmap for future needs
PV cells efficiency can be increased and
underdevelopment
Solar power from PV cell are safe and
potentially growing