Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.2 Four industrial production lines involved in PV-technology
based on Si
Production Line
Input
Output
(a) Si-purification line
Sand
High-purity polysilicon
(b) Si-wafer line
High-puritypolysilicon
Mono- or multicrystalline Si wafers
(c) Si-cell line
Mono- or multicrystalline
Fully processed solar cells
Si wafers
(d) Si-module line
Fullyprocessed solar cells
Fully assembled solar panels
Wafers sawn from
the ground Si
crystal boule
A solar panel assembled with cells
produced using monocrystalline Si
wafers
(Efficiency of the panel ~20%)
Figure 2.4
The main stages of the production of solar panels based on
monocrystalline Si.
Solar panels assembled using solar cells fabricated on
multi-crystalline silicon wafers.
Efficiency of the panels ~(14-18)%
Thin film solar panels fabricated
using amorphous silicon.
Efficiency of the panels ~(6-9)%
Figure 2.5
The appearance of solar panels based on polycrystalline Si
wafers and amorphous-Si thin-filmmaterials. See also Colour Insert.
