Chapter 1
Introduction
Christophe Ballif
Abstract A short review on the potential of solar energy and on the dramatic
improvements of photovoltaics (PV), which took place since the 50’s, is given. From
pioneering work on the first 6% efficient silicon solar cell in 1954 to today’s mainstream modules with close to 20% efficiency, technology development and market
have been intimately linked. Strong market growth has brought global PV installations to well over 600 Gigawatts (GW p ) cumulative capacity by 2020. After a short
description of the various PV technologies, we show how industrialisation has driven
a rapid decrease of manufacturing costs. Continuous technological improvements to
processes and production equipment have led to a continuous increase in module
efficiency, and to a reduction of embedded energy. The low electricity price achieved
today by photovoltaic systems makes it the potential major source of electricity for
decarbonising the planet—through a mix of large centralised plants and of smaller
distributed systems. Integration of PV into Buildings, being particularly attractive
for the future, is described in detail.
1.1 Photovoltaics: Potential and Orders of Magnitude
Photovoltaics (PV) is now seen as the major source of electricity for the second half
of the century. It will become the strongest contributor to the decarbonisation of the
world’s energy system for the following reasons:
• Sunlight is abundant and available to everybody.
• PV is already now, in many regions of the World, the source of electricity with
the absolutely lowest cost; and it is rapidly becoming even cheaper.
• PV is a “clean” technology with low CO 2 emissions. Electricity from PV can in
future conveniently power electric vehicles and be used for heating/cooling needs.
It can already do so, in many cases, more economically than fossil fuels.
C. Ballif (B)
EPFL and CSEM, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
e-mail: christophe.ballif@epfl.ch
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Shah (ed.), Solar Cells and Modules, Springer Series in Materials Science 301,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46487-5_1
1
Introduction
Christophe Ballif
Abstract A short review on the potential of solar energy and on the dramatic
improvements of photovoltaics (PV), which took place since the 50’s, is given. From
pioneering work on the first 6% efficient silicon solar cell in 1954 to today’s mainstream modules with close to 20% efficiency, technology development and market
have been intimately linked. Strong market growth has brought global PV installations to well over 600 Gigawatts (GW p ) cumulative capacity by 2020. After a short
description of the various PV technologies, we show how industrialisation has driven
a rapid decrease of manufacturing costs. Continuous technological improvements to
processes and production equipment have led to a continuous increase in module
efficiency, and to a reduction of embedded energy. The low electricity price achieved
today by photovoltaic systems makes it the potential major source of electricity for
decarbonising the planet—through a mix of large centralised plants and of smaller
distributed systems. Integration of PV into Buildings, being particularly attractive
for the future, is described in detail.
1.1 Photovoltaics: Potential and Orders of Magnitude
Photovoltaics (PV) is now seen as the major source of electricity for the second half
of the century. It will become the strongest contributor to the decarbonisation of the
world’s energy system for the following reasons:
• Sunlight is abundant and available to everybody.
• PV is already now, in many regions of the World, the source of electricity with
the absolutely lowest cost; and it is rapidly becoming even cheaper.
• PV is a “clean” technology with low CO 2 emissions. Electricity from PV can in
future conveniently power electric vehicles and be used for heating/cooling needs.
It can already do so, in many cases, more economically than fossil fuels.
C. Ballif (B)
EPFL and CSEM, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
e-mail: christophe.ballif@epfl.ch
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. Shah (ed.), Solar Cells and Modules, Springer Series in Materials Science 301,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46487-5_1
1