Arizona Tribune - Solar Manufacturing to Reach Efficiency Limit of Silicon Feedstock by 2030

Solar cell producers introduce new processes for final push towards realizing the goal of 30 percent efficiency.

The latest release of the PV Manufacturing & Technology Quarterly, the leading solar photovoltaic (PV) market research report dedicated to manufacturing and technology, highlights the change in the strategies of manufacturers from capacity expansion to efficiency optimization.

Until 2010, the efficiency of solar cells achieved in manufacturing was below 15 percent. As the adoption of advanced solar cell architectures resulted in continuous improvements in production, levels presently trend closer to 25 percent. Silicon solar cells have a theoretical efficiency limit of around 30 percent in converting energy from the sun into electricity.

In this issue, the PV Manufacturing & Technology Quarterly forecasts that further advanced manufacturing technology improvements will enable the ultimate goal of 30 percent efficiency.

"For more than fifty years, the solar industry has been fabricating solar PV cells, the building blocks of solar modules, on thin wafers of silicon," notes Finlay Colville, Head of Research at PV-Tech, Informa Markets. "Over time, cell fabrication techniques have improved significantly, demanding silicon purity levels close to those used in semiconductor manufacturing."

Currently, only about 20 companies dominate the production volumes for components across the value chain of the solar industry but there are over 100 companies producing and selling modules. Technology differentiation is the key driving force for companies to remain competitive.

In the past 15 years, mainstream cell technology has evolved from low quality silicon (multi crystalline p-type solar wafers) to higher purity wafers (mono crystalline n-type substrates), allowing new cell architectures to be deployed, increasing overall performance levels. Cell efficiencies from the dominant n-type process, tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) design, have efficiencies of about 25 percent.

The next challenge for the solar industry is to focus on techniques that allow for new manufacturing enhancements to bridge the gap towards the theoretical limit for single junction silicon cells of 30 percent.

Source: PV Manufacturing & Technology Quarterly Report

"With a slowdown in capital expenditure to last until 2026, leading cell producers have an opportunity to implement process flow changes to move the sector beyond the TOPCon phase," adds Colville. "Moving to back contact architectures will be pivotal in the next wave of technological innovation, providing the necessary transition, with the prospect to approach single junction limits of 30 percent efficiency by 2030."

For more in-depth industry data and competitive insights included in the latest edition of PV Manufacturing & Technology Quarterly report, please visit marketresearch.solarmedia.co.uk.

About PV Tech Research

PV Tech, a part of Informa Markets Engineering, is the leading source for in-depth research analysis on the solar PV supply chain internationally. Founded in 2009, PV Tech's publications online and in print attract over 2.5 million visits annually. PV Tech market research reports, launched in 2015, are released every three months, enabling technologists and manufacturers to fully understand the technology roadmap for the solar industry. To learn more, visit pv-tech.org/.

About Informa Markets Engineering

Informa Markets' Engineering portfolio, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), is the leading B2B event producer, publisher, and digital media business for the world's $3-trillion advanced, technology-based manufacturing industry. Our print and electronic products deliver trusted information to the engineering market and leverage our proprietary 1.3-million-name database to connect suppliers with buyers and purchase influencers. We produce more than 50 events and conferences in a dozen countries, connecting manufacturing professionals from around the globe. The Engineering portfolio is organized by Informa, the world's leading exhibitions organizer that brings a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit informamarkets.com

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SOURCE: INFORMA MARKETS - ENGINEERING

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