Cost-effective photovoltaics

Thin film organic polymer semiconductors are an attractive option for the development of cost-effective photovoltaic devices. They are uniquely suited to low-cost mass production and provide potential flexibility via property engineering. However, materials with better physical and photovoltaic properties than those currently available are needed. This will require a far better understanding of the structure and transport properties of these materials. 

The photovoltaics industry could expand rapidly if the efficiency of polycrystalline modules could be increased to 15 percent, if these modules could be built with assurance of reliability over a 10- to 20-year period, and if they could be manufactured for 100 or less per square meter. Solar energy research has been largely directed toward only one of these issues efficiency. All research aimed at reducing manufacturing costs has been done in industry and has been largely empirical. Almost no fundamental engineering research has been done on either the laboratory scale or the pilot plant scale for cost-effective processes for the production of photoconverters. 

For metal, dielectric and semiconductor films fabrication, optical and silica glass are popular substrate materials because of their availability, cost-effectiveness, and inert character, i.e., they are stable in the required temperature range for common photonic, optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications, they do not chemically react with the prepared films, and the hard plane surface makes the formation of optically smooth thin films fairly easy. Generally, it is preferable to form films by a simple, low-temperature, inexpensive and environment friendly method. Sol-gel technique and thermal evaporation is found suitable for the preparation of film parts of efficient solar cells [1], emitters, transformers [2], detectors and modulators of light [3], as well as optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters [4]. Here, we present the experimental data on the resistance to high-power optical and ionizing irradiations of the undoped components of film compositions with nanociystais. 

Conventional solar cells are built from inorganic silicon-like materials. Efficiency of such solar cells is high, but they originate from expensive materials and special techniques are required for their processing. Recently hybrid and photoelectrochemical solar cells [54] have been cost effective alternatives for conventional silicon solar cells. The correspondence between the photon absorption and charge separation events is the point of differentiation between the photovoltaic effect in a semiconductor junction, and that in a photon-induced generation of a chemical potential in natural systems, i.e. photosynthesis. In the latter, and this is very simple but highly relevant in the context of artificial photosynthetic systems, the point in space at which the... 

Polymers have many potential applications In solar technologies that can help achieve total system cost-effectiveness. For this potential to be realized, three major parameters must be optimized cost, performance, and durability. Optimization must be achieved despite operational stresses, some of which are unique to solar technologies. This paper Identifies performance of optical elements as critical to solar system performance and summarizes the status of several optical elements flat-plate collector glazings, mirror glazings, dome enclosures, photovoltaic encapsulation, luminescent solar concentrators, and Fresnel lenses. Research and development efforts are needed to realize the full potential of polymers to reduce life-cycle solar energy conversion costs. 

Economics. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has estimated that In order to be cost-effective, the Installed system price for residential photovoltaic systems In 1986 must be 1.60 to 2.20 per peak watt. In 1980 dollars. Of this, 0.80 per peak watt Is applied to the photovoltaic collector Itself. Typical costs for current photovoltaic systems are 20.00 per peak watt, of which 10.50 per peak watt Is allocated to the collector.( 1) Although strides are being made In the development of singlecrystal silicon photovoltaic devices, the potential for their low-cost manufacture remains an open question. The need to search for other materials which may result In cost-effective devices Is evident. The economic attraction of an organic polymer-based photovoltaic device Is Its use of small amounts of Inexpensive material and Its suitability for mass production. 

The development of hybrid electric vehicles and highly energy-efficient transport systems that can lower the cost of commuter traffic New photovoltaics that can collect solar power efficiently and cost effectively in deserts regions... 

Lead-acid batteries also are used in other types of applications, such as in submarine service, for reserve power in marine applications, and in areas where engine-generators cannot be used, such as indoors and in mining equipment. New applications, to take advantage of the cost effectiveness of this battery, include load leveling for utilities and solar photovoltaic systems. These applications will require improvements in the energy and power density of the lead-acid battery. 

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