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What is Efficiency of Photovoltaic Cell

Chapter 6
Handbook of Research on Solar Energy Systems and Technologies
It is defined as the ratio of electrical power produced by a photovoltaic cell at any instant to the power of the solar input which sunlight is striking the cell measured in Watts /m2. A major factor limiting the conversion efficiency is due to large bandgaps for low energy to be absorbed, while much of the energy from electrons freed up by high-energy is lost as the electron is extracted.
Published in Chapter:
Nanotechnology for Photovoltaic Energy: Challenges and Potentials
Salahuddin Qazi (State University of New York Institute of Technology, USA) and Farhan A. Qazi (Syracuse University, USA)
Copyright: © 2013 |Pages: 29
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-1996-8.ch006
Abstract
Solar radiation is plentiful and a clean source of power. However, despite the first practical use of silicon based solar cell more than 50 years ago, it has not been exploited to its full potential due to the high cost of electrical conversion on a per Watt basis. Many new kinds of photovoltaic cells such as multi-junction solar cells dye –sensitized solar cells and organic solar cell incorporating element of nanotechnology have been proposed to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost. Nanotechnology, in the form of quantum dots, nanorods, nanotubes, and grapheme, has been shown to enhance absorption of sunlight, makes low cost flexible solar panels and increases the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. The chapter reviews the state of current photovoltaic cells and challenges it presents. It also discusses the use of nanotechnology in the application of photovoltaic cells and future research directions to improve the efficiency of solar cells and reduce the cost.
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