What is 2nd-Generation Solar Cells

Photovoltaics (PV) have been the world’s most rapidly growing energy source, with markets increasing at a compounded rate over the years. The electricity generating capacity of new photovoltaic product manufactured in 2006 exceeded new nuclear power capacity for the first time, with the gap widening in each year. The present continues to be a most exciting and challenging time for photovoltaics. More are recognising the possibility of a future where solar cells provide a significant part of the world’s energy needs, without the environmental problems and escalating costs associated with the present mainstream approaches. Silicon is a semiconductor material which is mostly used for PV devices. Silicon is available in different forms like single crystal, poly crystalline, and amorphous. Most photovoltaic sales are of “first-generation” solar cells made from silicon wafers. First-generation PV research challenges are the cost reduction and further improving efficiency. The rapid growth of the photovoltaic industry is generating widespread interest in past and ongoing innovations of the PV technology. Silicon is quite brittle, so silicon wafers have to be reasonably thick, at least a fraction of a millimetre, to be sufficiently rugged for processing into solar cells with reasonable yields. Without this mechanical constraint, silicon would perform well even if very thin, over 100 times thinner than present wafers.