Is the Prospect of Amorphous Silicon Thin-film Solar Cells still Bright?

 

   Throughout the solar family, amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells because of the advantages of its technology and applications, is gaining explosive growth. In 2007 the growth rate of the industry was 120% and it is predicted that in the future three years the annual growth rate will reach 100%.

 

 

   The industry had doubts for the amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells before mainly because that the deficiency of the battery conversion is comparatively lower (5%-9%) and decays quickly with limited service life of only two to three years. As technologies advance, presently the service lifetime of mainstream amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells has already been above 10 years. Amorphous silicon thin film batteries become one of the most favored film battery technologies. And from economic and technological aspects, there are the following advantages:

 

 

   Low production costs: at present, production cost of each amorphous silicon thin-film solar cell declines to USD 1.2 per Wp. The cost pf laminated amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells has reduced below USD one per Wp.

 

 

   The short duration of energy return: amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells with conversion efficiency of 6% will consume 1.9 degrees electricity/W and it will only take 1.5-2 years for back to the above energy.  

 

 

   Suitable for mass production: the main processes of amorphous silicon thin-film solar cells adopting glass substrates (PECVD) are similar with TFT-LCD array production both with the characteristics of a high degree of automation and high efficiency.
 

 

   Good high-temperature performance: when the operation temperature of solar cell is higher than the standard test temperature (25℃)，its best output efficiency will decline. Amorphous silicon solar cells will be affected less by temperature than crystal silicon solar cells.

 

   Good response to low light, high efficiency charge: Absorption coefficient of amorphous silicon materials is of better adaptation for low and strong lights in actual application in the whole visible lights scope.

 

   Thin-film silicon batteries owns broad application prospects in civilian areas owing to above unique technological advantages such as photovoltaic building integration, power stations with large scale and lower cost and solar energy lighting sources.

 

 

   Many enterprises is stepping into amorphous silicon solar battery field such as Sharp, Q-cells and Suntech Power Holdings and so on because of favorable outlook of amorphous silicon thin-film battery and the whole industrial statistics continue to update.