Recent High Efficiency Crystalline Si Solar Cell Technology and Market Forecast (2006 - 2015)

News provided by

Feb 04, 2014, 10:00 ET

DUBLIN, February 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pfjrvr/recent_high) has announced the addition of the "Recent High Efficiency Crystalline Si Solar Cell Technology and Market Forecast (2006 - 2015)" report to their offering.

Research and Markets Logo. (PRNewsFoto/PR NEWSWIRE EUROPE)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769 )

So far, the biggest examples of high-efficiency crystalline solar cells have been Sunpower IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) and Sanyo HIT (Hetero-junction with Intrinsic Thin-film). These cell concepts allow about 3-4% higher efficiency than typical crystalline solar cells, but require very expensive processes and wafers (n-type), resulting in more than 40 % higher prices. For this reason, those products are now unlikely to meet with an enthusiastic response in the PV (Photovoltaics) market flooded with low-cost products.

Attempting to use this market situation as a stepping stone, Chinese companies are making aggressive efforts to develop technologies allowing low-cost processes and employing wafers (p-type and multi-crystalline) such as selective emitters, MWT(Metallization Wrap-through), EWT(Emitter Wrap-through), and bifacial solar cells in an attempt to enhance the identity of 'China Brand' and increase their market shares.

When it comes to selective emitters, China Sunergy has engaged in small-scale production in their existing production line since 2007. As for MWT, Photovoltech it has produced on a small scale with their pilot line since 2003. As Suntech's pluto cell (selective emitter) and Yingli's bifacial cell entered the market in 2010 and Canadian Solar's MWT began to be deployed on a commercial scale in 2011, the high efficiency solar cell market showed explosive growth. As a result, the production of the high efficiency solar cell market recorded 2.9 GW in 2012 compared to 1GW in 2010 and is expected to reach 7.4 GW in 2015.

Key Topics Covered:

Part 1. Trend in high-efficiency c-Si solar cell technologies

1. c- Si Solar Cell Overview
1.1. Solar Cell Overview
1.2. Solar Radiation
1.3. Mechanisms of c-Si Solar Cells

2. C-Si Solar Cell Technology Using Screen Printing Technology
2.1. Manufacturing Process
2.2. Efficiency Loss Mechanism
2.3. Technology Development Trend for High Efficiency and Low-Cost

3. Element Technologies for High Efficiency of c-Si Solar cells
3.1. Texturing
3.2. Doping
3.3. ARC (Anti-reflective Coating)
3.4. Passivation
3.5. Metallization

4. High-efficiency c-Si Solar Cell Technologies
4.1. BCSC (Buried Contact Solar Cell) or LGBC (Laser Grooved Buried Contact)
4.2. LFC (Laser Fired Contact)
4.3. HIT (Hetero-junction with Intrinsic Thin layer)
4.4. Back Contact Solar Cell
4.5. Passivated Emitter Solar Cell
4.6. Selective Emitter
4.7. Bifacial Cell
4.8. Quantum Dot Solar Cell

Part 2. Trends in High-efficiency Si Solar Cell Manufacturers & Research Institutes and Market Forecast

5. Technology Development Trends by Research Institutes
5.1. Europe
5.2. USA
5.3. Australia

6. Technology Development Trends by Country
6.1. China
6.2. Japan
6.3. Korea
6.4. Europe
6.5. USA
6.6. Taiwan
6.7. Current Status of High-efficiency Solar Cells by Company (Cell&Module)

7. Efficiency of PV cells and Forecast
7.1. Champion Efficiency of Each Solar Cell Technology
7.2. Solar Cell Theoretical Efficiency Limit and Outlook for Integrated Solar Cells
7.3. ITRPV International Photovoltaics Technology Roadmap

8. High-efficiency Crystalline Solar Cell Market Forecast
8.1. Global PV Market Forecast
8.2. High-efficiency Solar Cell Market Forecast (2006-2015)

9. Index
9.1. Figure
9.2. Table