Crystalline silicon industry energy storage field

Why is crystalline silicon used in solar cells?

Because of its earth-abundant element, a suitable band gap of 1.12 eV, high purity, high minority carrier lifetime, very low grain boundary defects, and easy control of resistivity, crystalline silicon (c-Si) is widely used for solar cells and accounts for more than 90% of the current photovoltaic market [1, 4].

What industries are related to crystalline silicon solar cell and module production?

There are generally three industries related to crystalline silicon solar cell and module production: metallurgical and chemical plants for raw material silicon production, monocrystalline and polycrystalline ingot fabrication and wafer fabrication by multi-wire saw, and solar cell and module production.

How efficient are crystalline silicon solar cells?

Silicon-based photovoltaics dominate the market. A study now sets a new record efficiency for large-area crystalline silicon solar cells, placing the theoretical efficiency limits within reach. Crystalline silicon photovoltaics (PV) are dominating the solar-cell market, with up to 93% market share and about 75 GW installed in 2016 in total 1.

Is crystalline silicon a viable solar technology?

Except for niche applications (which still constitute a lot of opportunities), the status of crystalline silicon shows that a solar technology needs to go over 22% module efficiency at a cost below US$0.2 W−1within the next 5 years to be competitive on the mass market.

What is the peak theoretical efficiency of a crystalline silicon solar cell?

The peak theoretical efficiency in a crystalline silicon solar cell based on a single homojunction and a bulk silicon energy bandgap of 1.1 eV is 30% under 1 sun AM 1.5 illumination.

Which material is used for crystalline silicon solar cells?

The raw, high-purity polysilicon material used for the fabrication of crystalline silicon solar cells is generally made by the Siemens method. The market price for raw silicon is affected by the demand–supply balance for solar cell and semiconductor fabrication, and can fluctuate markedly.