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Photovoltaics

Technology Map Detailed Contents June 2021

Importance of the Technology

The Technology in Brief

  • PV Advantages and Disadvantages
  • Cell Types
  • Single-Crystalline (Monocrystalline) Silicon
  • Polycrystalline Silicon
  • Other Silicon Technologies
    • Ribbons
    • Supermono Silicon
    • Nanoparticle Silicon
  • Thin-Film Solar Cells
    • Amorphous Silicon
    • Cadmium Telluride
    • Copper Indium (Gallium) Diselenide
    • Gallium Arsenide and Other III-V Solar Cells
    • Silicon Epitaxy
  • Third-Generation Solar Cells
    • DSCs
    • Polymer and Small-Molecule Solar Cells
    • Quantum-Dot Solar Cells
    • Perovskite Solar Cells
  • Multijunction Solar Cells
  • Concentrating Systems
  • Solar-Cell Efficiency
  • Hybrid PV Systems
  • Metalization and Antireflection
  • Balance of System
    • Inverters
    • Maximum-Power-Point Tracker

Commercial Development Parameters

  • Demand Factors
    • The Need for Clean Energy
    • The Relative Price of Energy
    • Policy Requirements
    • Rural Electrification
    • Infrastructure
  • General Constraints
  • Synergistic Technologies
  • Competing Technologies
  • Required Resources
  • Regulatory Factors

Areas to Monitor

  • Relative LCOE
  • Renewable Energy Targets
  • PV Incentives
  • Module Efficiency
  • Feedstock Pricing
  • Manufacturing Innovation
  • BOS Costs
  • Chinese Markets
  • Emerging PV Technologies
  • New Applications
  • Energy Storage
  • Utility Disruption

Implications of Commercialization

  • Outcome A: Silicon PV Sees Major Improvements
  • Outcome B: Thin-Film Production Accelerates
  • Outcome C: Off-Grid PV Surges

Opportunities

  • Market Demand
  • Market Supply
  • Crystalline-Silicon PV
    • Industry Structure
    • Commercial Opportunities
  • Thin-Film PV
    • Industry Structure
    • Commercial Opportunities
  • Organic PV
    • Industry Structure
    • Commercial Opportunities
  • Perovskite PV
    • Industry Structure
    • Commercial Opportunities
  • Concentrating PV
    • Industry Structure
    • Commercial Opportunities
  • PV Applications
    • Grid-Connected Power
    • Residential Power
    • Rural Electrification
    • Industrial/Remote Power
    • Transport Systems
    • Portable Power and Electronics
    • Aerospace

Updates

Viewpoints Features

Abbreviations