Industry leaders SEMI have come together to produce a roadmap that will push our technology forward, and provide a more efficient future for the sector. PES takes a look between the lines in an exclusive extract…
The photovoltaic industry has to provide power generation products that are competitive with conventional and other renewable sources of energy. An international technology roadmap helps to identify trends and to define requirements for necessary improvements.
The SEMI International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaic (ITRPV) aims to inform suppliers and customers about expected technology trends in the field of crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic and provides a basis for intensifying the dialog on required improvements and standards. The objective of the roadmap is not to recommend detailed technical solutions for identified areas of improvement but to address the need for improvement to the PV community and motivate comprehensive answers.
The present fourth edition of the ITRPV was jointly prepared by leading international c-Si solar cell manufacturers, module manufacturers, silicon producers, and wafer suppliers. Feedback and input from various institutes, equipment suppliers and providers of production materials was also included. The present publication covers the PV value chain from crystallisation, wafering and cell manufacturing downstream to module manufacturing and PV systems. Significant parameters set out in earlier editions as well as some new ones are reviewed together with discussions about emerging trends in the PV industry.
The cost of ownership for c-Si crystallisation, wafering, cell and module manufacturing revealed current poly-Si prices of less than 17$/kg in January 2013 meaning the focus for reducing cost per watt peak (Wp) remains on improving technology to increase module output power as well as on the more efficient use of all materials including silicon. New technologies have to be implemented without significantly increasing cost per piece despite necessarily more complex manufacturing processes.
An historic learning rate of about 21 per cent can be maintained over the next years by introducing new double and single sided contact cell concepts with improved Si-wafers, improved cell front and rear side and improved module technologies. This will result in modules with an average output power above 300Wp (60 cell modules) by 2023. The combination of increased cell and module performance in conjunction with significantly reduced manufacturing costs will support the reduction of PV system costs and thus ensure the long-term competitiveness of PV power generation. This roadmap activity will be continued in cooperation with SEMI and updated information will be published in spring each year to ensure good communication between manufacturers and suppliers throughout the value chain.
All topics along the value chain are divided in three areas: materials, processes, and products. All companies have reached agreement on the results reported in the roadmap.
We take a look at details for crystallisation, wafers, cells, modules, and PV systems for each of these areas respectively.
