Photovoltaic electricity

Abstract

PPhotovoltaic electricity (PV) is a free and clean source of renewable energy and presents a solution for many of the socio-economic problems of both first world and third world communities. Large-scale introduction of PV is currently hampered by the high cost of solar cells. At present crystalline silicon solar cells dominate the world market. These cells consist of flat wafers pure Si with a p-n junction and the technology is almost perfected with cell efficiencies of 24%. The efficiency of poly-crystalline wafers is somewhat lower but they are more cost effective.