Solar Cell Technology Comparison | ||||
Technology | Efficiency | Degradation | Flexibility | Comments |
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CIGS | +++ | ++++ | +++ | - Highest efficiency in non-
silicon wafer category - Low material and processing cost - Highly flexible - Clear roadmap to efficiency improvement |
Amorphous Silicon | ++ | ++ | ++ | - Moderate performance
- Exhibits instability - High cost - No clear technology pathway to efficiency improvement |
Multi-Junc. Amorphous Silicon | ++ | ++ | Rigid | - Similar to Amorphous Silicon |
Cadmium Telluride | ++ | ++++ | Rigid | - Requires rigid packaging
- No Pathway to efficiency improvement |
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Single Crystalline Silicon | +++++ | ++++ | Rigid | - Fully mature technology,
difficult to reduce price further or increase performance - High material costs & material processing cost - Fragile, high shipping costs |
Polycrystal. Silicon | ++++ | ++++ | Rigid | - Similar to Single Crystalline |
String Ribbon Silicon | +++ | ++++ | Rigid | - Similar to Single Crystalline
- Less material cost |
Future Technologies | ||||
Organic | - | --- | Unknown | - Early laboratory stage
- Rapid degradation problem - Pathway to efficiency increase unknown |
Plastic | + | - | Unknown | - Early laboratory stage
- Rapid degradation problem - Pathway to efficiency increase unknown |
Light Sensitive Dye | - | --- | Flexible | - Still in laboratory stage
- Rapid degradation problems - High encapsulation costs |