Silicon-based solar cells can either be monocrystalline or multicrystalline, depending on the presence of one or multiple grains in the microstructure. This, in turn, affects the solar cells’ properties, particularly their efficiency and performance.
Mao’s research explores the dominance and evolution of crystalline silicon solar cells in the photovoltaic market, focusing on the transition from polycrystalline to more cost-effective monocrystalline silicon cells, which is driven by advancements in silicon materials and wafer technologies.
Figure 1 indicates a consistent underestimate by the PV industry participants of the extent to which monocrystalline silicon would overtake directionally solidified silicon as the preferred wafering technology. When PERC solar cells were first commercial-ized, p-type multicrystalline silicon wafers still dominated the solar cell market.
The first mainstream Over the past decade, a revolution has occurred in the manufacturing of crystalline silicon solar cells. The conventional ‘‘Al-BSF’’ technology, which was the mainstream technology for many years, was replaced by the ‘‘PERC’’ technology.
Furthering the innovation in thin crystalline silicon solar cells, the study by Xie et al. reported significant advancements in the efficiency of thin crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, a promising alternative to the traditional, thicker c-Si solar cells, due to their cost-effectiveness and enhanced flexibility.
PV Solar Industry and Trends Approximately 95% of the total market share of solar cells comes from crystalline silicon materials . The reasons for silicon’s popularity within the PV market are that silicon is available and abundant, and thus relatively cheap.