Manufacturing Challenges in Silicon-Based Photovoltaic Energy Generation

1. Manufacturing Challenges in Silicon-Based Photovoltaic Energy Generation • Overarching Challenge Lower the cost of crystalline silicon based solar energy conversion • Approach * Reduce material and manufacturing costs in solar cell/module production • * High volume, breakage-free production of large area, thin crystalline • silicon solar cells and modules • ManufacturingChallenges/Opportunities for Research & Innovation * Production of high quality, low-cost mc-Si substrates  better crystal growth/casting methods * Breakage-free manufacture of thin Si-wafers with “zero” kerf loss * New/improved methods for breakage-free handling of large (~210mm x 210mm), thin (≤100mm) silicon wafers and interconnected cells * High speed, automated inspection of wafers/cells for micro-cracks * High speed, automated methods for module assembly • Relevant Disciplines: Mechanics, materials science, optics, automation, … Shreyes Melkote, Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

2. Manufacturing Challenges in Thin-Film Based Solar Energy Generation • Overarching Challenge Mass production of low cost, thin flexible organic solar cells • Approach • * Roll-to-roll manufacturing of solar cells on thin, flexible polymer • films: ink jet printing, gravure printing, … • ManufacturingChallenges/Opportunities for Research & Innovation * High speed coating/printing processes and associated science for depositing thin nano-particulate conductive materials (e.g. ITO), active organic layers, encapsulants, etc., on polymer substrates * High speed automated handling of thin, flexible substrates * High speed metrology systems for surface/device quality assessment • Relevant Disciplines: Mechanical engineering, chemistry, polymer science, electrical engineering, … Shreyes Melkote, Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology