Thin Film Solar Panel
A Thin Film Solar Cell (TFSC) is a technology which is in use of Nano thin layer of Photovoltaic materials. Unlike traditional solar cells the thin film is compact in a range of 300 to 350 times thinner than silicon celled layers. The design of thin film allows flexibility which opens possibility of integration on the surface of external windows and fabrics too.
Types of Thin-Film Solar Cells
From monocrystalline and polycrystalline the Thin-Film can be made using indifferent materials.
There are 3 types of solar Thin-Film cells:
- Amorphous Silicon (a-Si)
Thin film solar cells are made up of amorphous silicon and similar shape of non-crystalline form of silicon where it has no structures layer like monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon.
- Cadmium Telluride (CdTe)
A chemical compound Cadmium Telluride which is goof at absorbing maximum sunlight.
- Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS)
A layer of Copper, Indium, Gallium, and Selenide arranged in order of sandwiched which creates a powerful semiconductor for converting sunlight to an energy.
Production of Thin Film Solar Cells
- Photovoltaic Material: A semiconducting material which is responsible for converting sunlight into energy such as CdTe, a-Si, or CGIS.
- Conductive Sheet: An aluminum conductive layer is introduced which avoids power loss and improve state conductivity.
- Protective Layer: A thin layer of glass plastic is implicated to the top of the system to improve durability and protect it from the external environment impact.
Efficiency of Thin Film Solar Cells
With thin film being less efficient, lower power capacity than mono and polycrystalline solar cell types. The Thin film depends on PV materials which is used generally in a cell where they tend to have good efficiency around 7% to 18%. In fact, thin film has higher theoretical efficiency than compared to silicon.
Thin Film Reaction to Elevated Temperatures
A temperature coefficient of thin films solar panels is decent as compared to silicon based panels. Less affected by elevated temperatures where it will deplete some performance. Recommendation usage would be to use the thin film in desert areas where a plenty of Sun and more space.
Thin Film Lifespan
Among the 3 types of solar panels i.e. monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film, The Thin-Film panels have the shortest lifespan of 10 to 20 years. Although Thin-Film panels have a short lifespan, they have the fastest payback time. Meaning that the system will save you a lot of electricity money that it’ll pay back for its cost within 8 years. Thin films last around 10 to 20 years if maintained well.
DMSOLAR: Next Generation PV for 12v System!
Cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaics defines a photovoltaic (PV) technology which is based on the use of cadmium telluride where a thin semiconductor layer is designed to absorb and convert the sunlight into electricity.
- High Conversion Efficiency.
- High Power Output.
- Low Temperature Coefficient.
- Excellent Low-light Effect.
- Weak hot spot effect.
Limitations:
- Lower Efficiency: Less efficient than traditional silicon-based solar panels which requires more space for the good power output.
- Shorter Lifespan: It may degrade persistently which can lead to a shorter thin film operational life.
- Environmental Concerns: Some materials like cadmium which can be toxic and pose an environmental risk during manufacturing.
Future Outlooks
- Efficiency: The advancements in few materials and multi-junction technologies which can knowingly aim to boost the efficiency levels of thin films.
- Durability: To Develop a more stable material which can extend the lifespan of thin-film panels.
- Scalability: Innovation in manufacturing processes to extend large-scale production.
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