Skip to main content
Browse by:
GROUP

ME Seminar Series: Perspectives on the Status and Future of CIGS Photovoltaic Technology: R&D and Manufacturing

Thin-film photovoltaic modules of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and CdTe have the potential to reach cost-effective PV-generated electricity. These technologies have transitioned from the laboratory to the market place. Conversion efficiencies of laboratory solar cells and commercial modules of both technologies are approaching 22% and 15%, respectively. Higher efficiencies from the laboratory and from the manufacturing line are only a matter of time. Long-term stability has been demonstrated for both technologies; however, some failures in the field have also been observed, emphasizing the critical need for understanding degradation mechanisms and packaging options. In this talk I will look back at technical highlights of both technologies, discuss the status of R&D and manufacturing, and address the questions of why the potential of the CIGS technology has not been fully tapped, and why so many companies struggled and most went out of business?

Type: LECTURE/TALK