“Next generation solar cells based on silicon heterojunction technology for higher efficiency and lower environmental impact”
Dr. Laurie-Lou Senaud
Centre Suisse d’électronique et de microtechnique (CSEM), senior R&D Engineer,
BU-V – Sustainable energy, silicon solar cells group
Abstract
Photovoltaic (PV) technology is expected to be a key pillar of the future low-carbon energy mix, with crystalline silicon (c-Si)-based technologies (such as the silicon heterojunction (SHJ) technology) accounting for the lion’s share of it. To achieve net-zero carbon emission targets by 2035, Europe alone needs to install 8.8 TW capacity of PV. On the one hand, barriers in achieving such TW-scale deployment in a sustainable manner are well known: use of scarce materials (Ag, In), imported wafers with high carbon footprint, etc. On the other hand, widely accepted technological roadmaps for PV mostly dismiss these caveats, as the race to higher efficiency and lower cost remains the key driver for the PV industry. As a result, many current c-Si PV technology processes and materials are not developed while considering the environmental concerns.
In such context, this work focuses on two next generations of solar cell technologies, that are foreseen to significantly increase the efficiency of PV devices, and investigates solutions at cell level to reduce their environmental impacts. This presentation will give first an overview of the two solar cell technologies under study which are the SHJ-IBC and the SHJ-IBC/perovskite tandem[1]. Second, the focus will be put on the development of indium free transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) used for both solar cell technologies and leads to further improve their environmental impact will be given
[1] IBC stands for interdigitated back contact.
Dr. Adeline Lanterne
CEA, LITEN, Solar Technologies Department
INES, National Institute for Solar Energy
“Low temperature and high temperature heterojunction solar cells, towards the reduction of critical raw material”
Abstract
As the photovoltaic industry moves towards the multi-terawatt production scale, the concern of material consumption such as silver or indium increases. Several approaches to reduce the quantity of Ag and In in Heterojunction solar cells are currently studied at CEA-INES. First results show that the replacement of the indium tin oxide (ITO) layer of the cell by a bilayer approach with dielectrics can conduct to a decrease of the indium consumption of 42%. In addition, the silver quantity used in the metallization can be reduced by 20 to 30% by using silver-coated copper pastes. In parallel, the development of a high temperature passivated contact solar cells structure offers larger possibilities to replace critical materials with the possibility to deposit layer and anneal the wafer at temperature above 200°C. A full Indium-free passivated contact solar cell was demonstrated by this way.
Infos date
Grenoble INP - Phelma
3 parvis Louis Néel - 38000 Grenoble
Accès : TRAM B arrêt Cité internationale
3 parvis Louis Néel - 38000 Grenoble
Accès : TRAM B arrêt Cité internationale
Infos lieu
10 H - Salle des Séminaires
2ème étage - LMGP
2ème étage - LMGP