• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.38-51
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• 2024

The rapid expansion of industrialization and population growth worldwide has led to a significant surge in energy demand, perpetuating heavy reliance on finite fossil fuel reserves. Although prevailing policies primarily target ground-mounted solar photovoltaics, there is a noticeable increase in the adoption of floating solar power generation systems on water surfaces. Nonetheless, adequate studies and legislative reviews on offshore solar photovoltaics in Korea are lacking. The absence of well-defined criteria for the economic analysis of floating solar photovoltaics presents hurdles to their economic feasibility. This study conducted a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of offshore photovoltaics to evaluate their economic viability and compared four types of solar photovoltaics based on the operating area and technology: ground-mounted, floating on inland water, pontoon-based offshore, and flexible system offshore. Perspectives from both central and local government entities, emphasizing social aspects, as well as inputs from private companies with a financial focus were considered. The findings revealed variations in economic viability depending on the operating area and technology employed. This study aims to contribute to the advancement of market maturity and technology within the realm of offshore solar photovoltaics.

• Solar Energy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 1997

Since PESC(passivated emitter solar cell) was developed in 1985, high efficiency silicon solar cell technology based on planar technology has been improved in the order of PERC, Point Contact Solar Cell, PERL. BCSC and DSBC, which do not require photolithography, are expected to replace commercial screen printed cells because of its potential for low cost and high efficiency. In this paper, history and characteristics of each type of cells are reviewed.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.8-12
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• 2023

In this work, we investigated the thickness of Ag precursor layer to improve the performance of flexible CIGSe solar cells grown on stainless steel (STS) substrates through three-stage co-evaporation with Ga grading followed by alkali treatments. The small amount of incorporated Ag in CIGSe films showed enhancement in the grain size and device efficiency. With an optimal 6 nm-thick Ag layer, the best cell on the STS substrate yielded more than 16%, which is comparable to the soda-lime glass (SLG) substrate. Thus, the addition of controlled Ag combined with alkali post-deposition treatment (PDT) led to increased open-circuit voltage (VOC), accompanied by the increased built-in potential as confirmed by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. It is related to a reduction of charge recombination at the depletion region. The results suggest that Ag alloying and alkali PDT are essential for producing highly efficient flexible CIGSe solar cells.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.111-122
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• 2021

Silicon heterojunction technology (HJT) solar cells have received considerable attention due to advantages that include high efficiency over 26%, good performance in the real world environment, and easy application to bifacial power generation using symmetric device structure. Furthermore, ultra-highly efficient perovskite/c-Si tandem devices using the HJT bottom cells have been reported. In this paper, we discuss the unique feature of the HJT solar cells, the fabrication processes and the current status of technology development. We also investigate practical challenges and key technologies of the HJT solar cell manufacturers for reducing fabrication cost and increasing productivity.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.98-107
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• 2016

Third-generation photovoltaics are of low cost based on solution processes and are targeting a high efficiency. To meet the commercial demand, however, significant improvements of both efficiency and stability are required. In this sense, interfacial engineering can be useful key to solve these issues because trap sites and interfacial energy barrier and/or chemical instability at organic/organic and organic/inorganic interfaces are critical factors of efficiency and stability degradation. Here, we thoroughly review the interfacial engineering strategies applicable to three representative third-generation photovoltaics - organic, perovskite, colloidal quantum dot solar cell devices.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.130-133
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• 2006

Solar Photovoltaics (SPV) In India has become an important renewable source of energy particularly for rural and remote areas. The vastness of the country and the requirements of electricity in far-flung villages makes SPV very attractive, with inherent technological advantages providing additional boost. This has been recognized very early by Govt. Of India and Ministry of Non-Conventional Sources of Energy (MNES) has been entrusted with promoting SPV usage in the country. Rural electrification through SPV systems is one of the programmes which is expected to provide fillip to PV industry in the country. PV Industry in India is very well established with capability of solar cell fabrication and module fabrication as well as Balance of System design and fabrication. There several R&D groups in the academic institutions who are involved in improving solar cells efficiency, thin film solar cells and PV instrumentation. Thus, India provides a ready market for large scale utilization of solar energy through SPV technology.

• Solar Energy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 1997

The solar cell electrical output parameters such as the open circuit voltage($V_{oc}$) and short circuit current density($V_{sc}$) are intrinsic characteristics depending on junction depth, doping concentration, metal contacts barriers and cell structure. As a role of thumb for solar cell design, the metal contact barriers for phosphorus doped emitter should have lower work function in order to provide lower series resistance. The fabrication of PESC(passivated emitter solar cell) structure usually involves the use of titanium as a metal contact barrier. Chromium, which work function is similar to titanium but conductance is higher than titanium is being investigated as the new metal contact barrier. Although titanium has lower work function difference than chromium, the electric performances of chromium as contact barrier are higher than titanium. This better performance is attributed to the lower resistivity from chromium. This paper, therefore, compares the attributes of metal barrier contacts using titanium and chromium.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2021

The mesh mask screen, which is generally used for screen printing metallization of silicon solar cell, requires high squeegee pressure and low printing speed. These requirements are acting as a limiting factor in production yield in photovoltaic industries. In order to improve the productivity, a metal mask, which has high durability and high printing speed, has been researched. In this paper, the characteristics of each solar cell, in which electrodes were formed by using a metal mask and a mesh mask, were analyzed through recombination current density. In particular, the metal-induced recombination current density (Jom) representing the recombination of the emitter-metal interface was calculated using the shading method, and the resulting efficiency and open-circuit voltage were analyzed through the diode equation. As a result of analyzing the proportion of the metal-induced recombination current density to the total emitter recombination current density, it was analyzed that the reduction of the metal-induced recombination current density through the metal mask is an important factor in reducing the total recombination current density of the solar cell.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.97-102
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• 2019

Bifacial and semitransparent hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film solar cells in p-i-n configuration were prepared with front and rear transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrodes using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Fluorine-doped tin oxide and tin-doped indium oxide films were used as front and rear TCO contacts, respectively. Film thickness of intrinsic a-Si:H absorber layers were controlled from 150 nm to 450 nm by changing deposition time. The dependence of performance characteristics of solar cells on the front and rear illumination direction were investigated. For front illumination, gradual increase in the short-circuit current density (J_SC) from 10.59 mA/㎠ to 14.19 mA/㎠ was obtained, whereas slight decreases from 0.83 V to 0.81 V for the open-circuit voltage (V_OC) and from 68.43% to 65.75% for fill factor (FF) were observed. The average optical transmittance in the wavelength region of 380 ~ 780 nm of the solar cells decreased gradually from 22.76% to 15.67% as the absorber thickness was changed from 150 nm to 450 nm. In case of the solar cells under rear illumination condition, the J_SC increased from 10.81 to 12.64 mA/㎠ and the FF deceased from 66.63% to 61.85%, while the V_OC values were maintained at 0.80 V with increasing the absorber thickness from 150 nm to 450 nm. By optimizing the deposition parameters, a high-quality bifacial and semitransparent a-Si:H solar cell with 350 nm-thick i-a-Si:H absorber layer exhibited the conversion efficiencies of 7.69% for front illumination and 6.40% for rear illumination, and average visible optical transmittance of 17.20%.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.32-38
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• 2013

In recent years, anti-PID (Potential Induced Degradation) technologies have been studied and developed at various stages throughout the solar value chain from solar cells to systems in an effort to enhance long-term reliability of the photovoltaics (PV) system. Such technologies and applications must bring in profits economically for both manufacturers of solar cell/module and investors of PV systems, simultaneously for the development of the PV industry. In this study two selected anti-PID technologies, ES (modification of emitter structure) and ARC (modification of anti-reflective coating) were compared based on the economic features of both a cell maker with 60MW production capacity and an investor of 1MW PV power plant. As a result of this study, it is shown that ARC anti-PID technology can ensure more profits over ES technology for both the cell manufacturer and the investor of PV power plant.