134 research outputs found
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Role of Polycrystalline Thin-Film PV Technologies in Competitive PV Module Markets: Preprint
This paper discusses the developments in thin-film PV technologies and provides an outlook on future commercial module efficiencies achievable based on today's knowledge about champion cell performance
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Thin Film CIGS and CdTe Photovoltaic Technologies: Commercialization, Critical Issues, and Applications; Preprint
We report here on the major commercialization aspects of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies based on CIGS and CdTe (a-Si and thin-Si are also reported for completeness on the status of thin-film PV). Worldwide silicon (Si) based PV technologies continues to dominate at more than 94% of the market share, with the share of thin-film PV at less than 6%. However, the market share for thin-film PV in the United States continues to grow rapidly over the past several years and in CY 2006, they had a substantial contribution of about 44%, compared to less than 10% in CY 2003. In CY 2007, thin-film PV market share is expected to surpass that of Si technology in the United States. Worldwide estimated projections for CY 2010 are that thin-film PV production capacity will be more than 3700 MW. A 40-MW thin-film CdTe solar field is currently being installed in Saxony, Germany, and will be completed in early CY 2009. The total project cost is Euro 130 million, which equates to an installed PV system price of Euro 3.25/-watt averaged over the entire solar project. This is the lowest price for any installed PV system in the world today. Critical research, development, and technology issues for thin-film CIGS and CdTe are also elucidated in this paper
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Role of Polycrystalline Thin-Film PV Technologies in Competitive PV Markets
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Polycrystalline Thin Film Photovoltaics: From the Laboratory to Solar Fields
The conclusions of this report are that: (1) many issues how thin-film solar cells work remain unresolved, requiring further fundamental R and D effort; (2) commercial thin-film PV module production reached 29% in 2005 in the US, indicating much more rapid growth than crystalline Si PV; (3) commercial module performance is increasing based on current knowledge, more R and D will lead to further improvement; and (4) stability of thin-film modules is acceptable ({le} 1% per year power loss) if the right manufacturing processes are used for manufacturing
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Polycrystalline Thin Film Photovoltaics: From the Laboratory to Solar Fields; Preprint
We review the status of commercial polycrystalline thin-film solar cells and photovoltaic (PV) modules, including current and projected commercialization activities
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Solar America Initiative (SAI) PV Technology Incubator Program: Preprint
The SAI PV Technology Incubator Program is designed to accelerate technologies/prodesses that have successfully demonstrated a proof-of-concept/process in a laboratory
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Performance Test of Amorphous Silicon Modules in Different Climates - Year Four: Progress in Understanding Exposure History Stabilization Effects; Preprint
The four-year experiment involved three identical sets of thin-film a-Si modules from various manufacturers deployed outdoors simultaneously in three sites with distinct climates. Each PV module set spent a one-year period at each site before a final period at the original site where it was first deployed
Analysis of initial stabilization of cell efficiency in amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules under real outdoor conditions
[EN] This contribution presents a field study in which the initial stabilization of thin-film amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is investigated. Two grid-connected a-Si:H photovoltaic plants have been monitored and analyzed under real outdoor conditions. A per-unit approach is proposed to compare PV plants with differences in their electrical characteristic and the start-up date. The representation of a normalized per unit PV power versus the accumulated incoming irradiation reveals an evolution that can be characterized through an exposure-response function. By this function, two populations of defects in the cells are detected. It is found that the stabilization process in the first year of operation produces a decrease of 10% in the peak power, equivalent to a decrease of 0.5% in cell efficiency. The use of the accumulated PSH for conducting the analysis of the initial stabilization produces similarities that cannot be obtained if a time scale is used. These results provide a powerful tool for PV plant designers because they enable a prediction to be made of the time-scale stabilization response in terms of unitary power, correlated with the peak sun hours received. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work was supported by Generalitat Valenciana (PROM-ETEOII/2014/059) and Spanish MINECO (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness TEC2014-53727-C2-1-R).Mateo-Guerrero, C.; Hernández Fenollosa, MDLÁ.; Montero Reguera, ÁE.; Segui-Chilet, S. (2018). Analysis of initial stabilization of cell efficiency in amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules under real outdoor conditions. Renewable Energy. 120:114-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2017.12.054S11412512
Hydrogen Storage Materials for Mobile and Stationary Applications: Current State of the Art
One of the limitations to the widespread use of hydrogen as an energy carrier is its storage in a safe and compact form. Herein, recent developments in effective high-capacity hydrogen storage materials are reviewed, with a special emphasis on light compounds, including those based on organic porous structures, boron, nitrogen, and aluminum. These elements and their related compounds hold the promise of high, reversible, and practical hydrogen storage capacity for mobile applications, including vehicles and portable power equipment, but also for the large scale and distributed storage of energy for stationary applications. Current understanding of the fundamental principles that govern the interaction of hydrogen with these light compounds is summarized, as well as basic strategies to meet practical targets of hydrogen uptake and release. The limitation of these strategies and current understanding is also discussed and new directions proposed
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