This document discusses various technologies for solar energy including photovoltaic cells and solar thermal, outlines research and development approaches, and identifies challenges. It covers crystalline and thin-film photovoltaic cells as well as concentrating photovoltaics. For solar thermal, it mentions flat-plate collectors, evacuated heat-pipe tubes, parabolic trough collectors, power towers and hybrid systems. The document also discusses emerging photovoltaic technologies such as inorganic thin-film, organic thin-film and thermophotovoltaics. It identifies key challenges in areas like module assembly, tracking systems, devices and efficiency, manufacturing and installation, and quality assurance.

1. April 20, 2011
Pragya Sharma
Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute
Research Innovation and Incubation Centre
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
pragyasees@gmail.com

2. Technology classification
Technology overview
R & D Approach
Photovoltaic Development Options

4. Crystalline Monocrystalline
Polycrystalline
CdTe (Cadmium
Telluride)
Solar Photovoltaic CIGS (Copper Indium
Gallium
Selenium)/CIS
(Copper Indium
Thin-film Selenium)
CIS (Copper Indium
Concentrating Diselenide)
Photovoltaic
Solar Energy Amorphous Silicon (a-
technology Si)
Flat-plate Collectors
Distributed Solar
Thermal
Evacuated Heat-pipe
Tubes
Parabolic Trough
Solar Thermal Collectors
Dish/Engine Systems
Centralised Solar Concentrating Solar
Thermal Power Towers
Thermal
Hybrid Systems /
Integrated Solar
Combined Cycle
Linear Fresnel

5. Solar Photovoltaic
Concentrating
Crystalline Thin-film
Photovoltaic
CdTe (Cadmium
Monocrystalline
Telluride)
CIGS (Copper Indium
Gallium Selenium)/CIS
Polycrystalline
(Copper Indium
Selenium)
CIS (Copper Indium
Diselenide)
Amorphous Silicon (a-Si)

8. modules
Applicability
Balance of
the system
Drivers of
the PV
Developm- Development
Environme ent of dedicated
encapsulation
ntal Quality materials and
processes.
Energy
yield Value

9. PV technology Trends
Emerging technologies Balance of the system R&D
• Inorganic thin-film • Electronics, cabling, • Reduction of silicon
Technology installation material and material and costs
• Organic thin-film other parts, labour, • Improved cell structure
Technology storage, sun tracking, and device efficiency
• Thermophotovoltaic system Engineering • Improved Deposition
Technique
• Advanced material and
concept

11. Inorganic thin-film Technology
Organic thin-film Technology
Thermophotovoltaic

12. Inorganic thin-film
technologies
Polycrystalline
Spheral CIS
Si thin-film
solar cells
solar cells

13. Organic thin-film technologies
Dye solar cells Organic bulk donor-
acceptor
heterojunction solar
cells

14. Thermophotovoltaics
Concept: Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) generation
of electricity is the conversion of the radiation
of a heated body (photon emitter) into electric
power by means of semiconductor photovoltaic
cells.

15. Research and Fundamentals
Inorganic solar Organic Solar Thermo
cells Cells photovoltaic
Reduction of grain Mechanically
boundary structured metal
Long term stability
recombination or semiconductor
velocity emitters
Understanding of
Efficiency interfacial Simulation and
potential recombination/re characterization
duction
Reduction of active
layer thickness by
Device simulation
Plasmonic
incorporation of effects
plasmonic effects

16. Balance of the system
Sun Tracking system Reduce need for the
Engineering space, support
structure and cabling

17. Research and
Development
•Reduction of silicon
material and costs
•Improved cell
structure and device
efficiency
•Improved
Deposition
Technique
•Advanced material
and concept

18. PV TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES
Module assembly: Develop materials and
mounting techniques
Tracking and Reduce need for the space,
support structure and cabling
Devices and efficiency: Develop materials and
production technologies to improve efficiency
Manufacturing and installation: To Find
optimized design, production and test methods
Development of dedicated encapsulation
materials and processes

19. Solar cell
Assurance in
Optical system
Quality
Power plant
Module Assembly
Engineering and
and Fabrication
Inverter
Tracker
installation

20. Solar cell
Better efficiency and long-term stability.
Research to fit the cell design for the terrestrial solar
radiation and the used materials of the optical systems.
Calibration of multi-junction solar cells
Simulation of electrical performance

21. Module Assembly and Fabrication
Innovative concepts (material, fabrication methods)
for the housing.
Long-term stability of the modules.
Impermeability of the modules.
Measurement and monitoring systems for indoor
characterization.

22. Quality Assurance
Indoor and outdoor characterization, including the
ageing and stability, of the single components, the
modules and the whole system.
EU-certification- and product- standards.
Long-time monitoring for modules and systems.

23. Optical system
Better optical efficiency and long-term stability (> 20 years) of
the optical systems.
Higher angular acceptance (-> secondary) and concentration
factor (in accordance to the solar-cells).
Modelling of the optical design in accordance to the solar
radiation and the materials.
Measurement and monitoring systems for indoor
characterization (solar simulator for concentrator optics).
Evaluation of alignment problem (receiver-lens and lens-solar
beam) in manufacturing point focus system.

24. Inverter and Power plant
Engineering
· Field testing.
· Power plant deploy and
infrastructure.
· Inverter communication with
Tracker

25. Tracker and installation
Research in fabrication methods.
Better tracking accuracy.
Mechanical stability, stiffness, static.
Workings on differential tracking and ecliptic tracking.
Calibration models and techniques for tracking control (Auto-calibrated
tracking control units, sun tracking accuracy monitoring systems).
Analysis leading towards the industrialization of tracker and tracking
control unit.

27. April 20, 2011
Pragya Sharma
Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute
Research Innovation and Incubation Centre
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
pragyasees@gmail.com