Solar photovoltaic technology on rough low carbon steel substrates for building integrated photovoltaics: A complete fabrication sequence

[Display omitted] •Direct deposition of TFS modules based on a-Si on non transparent substrates.•Low cost intermediate layer for the deposition of TFSC on non transparent substrates.•Novel laser scribing and encapsulation methods in substrate configuration.•Viable to upscale to industrial level. The...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Solar energy 2016-02, Vol.124, p.216-226
Main Authors: Martínez, A.L., Menéndez, A., Sánchez, P., Andrés, L.J., Menéndez, M.F., Izard, J., Sánchez, B., Gómez, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amorphous silicon
Efficiency
Intermediate layer
Laser scribing
Module
Non transparent
Photovoltaic cells
Solar energy
Steel
Thin films
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Summary:[Display omitted] •Direct deposition of TFS modules based on a-Si on non transparent substrates.•Low cost intermediate layer for the deposition of TFSC on non transparent substrates.•Novel laser scribing and encapsulation methods in substrate configuration.•Viable to upscale to industrial level. The purpose of this paper is to show an innovative and complete fabrication sequence of thin film photovoltaic modules based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon on non transparent substrates (high roughness low carbon steel). This fabrication sequence is oriented to monolithically interconnected modules with two main challenges (i) the development of surface treatment technology (low cost intermediate inorganic coatings based on sol–gel technology) for the deposition of thin film solar cells on non transparent substrates and (ii) the use of novel laser scribing methods in substrate configuration. After the research carried out in this work, we demonstrate that (i) surface treatment technology has been successfully developed proving its good behavior in 1cm2 steel solar cells achieving efficiencies close to 7%, and (ii) laser scribing method has also been succeeded achieving efficiencies higher than 3% in 64cm2 modules. Electrical losses due to these processes have been evaluated. It is important to point out that, although silicon based technology has been used, these advances are not directly related to any specific thin film solar technology, being suitable for CIGS and CdTe solar cells.
ISSN:0038-092X
1471-1257
DOI:10.1016/j.solener.2015.11.035