In 1980 the first thin-film solar cells based on a copper-sulphide/cadmium-sulphide
junction were demonstrated with a conversion efficiency above 10% at the University of
Delaware. In 1985, crystalline silicon solar cells with efficiencies above 20% were
demonstrated at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
From 1984 through 1991 the world’s largest solar thermal energy generating facility
in the world was built in the Mojave Desert in California. It consists of nine plants with a
combined capacity of 354 megawatts.
In 1991 the first high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell was published by the École
polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland by Michael Grätzel and co-workers.
The dye-sensitized solar cell is a kind of photo electrochemical system, in which a
semiconductor material based on molecular sensitizers is placed between a photoanode
and an electrolyte. We will introduce this technology in Section 13.6.
In 1994, the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado,
demonstrated a concentrator solar cell based on III-V semiconductor materials. Their cell,
based on an indium-gallium-phosphide/gallium-arsenide tandem junction, exceeded the
30% conversion limit.
In 1999, the total global installed photovoltaic power passed 1 GW p . Starting from
about 2000, environmental and economic issues started to become more and more
important in the public discussion, which renewed the public interest in solar energy.
Since 2000, the PV market therefore transformed from a regional market to a global
market, as discussed in Chapter 2. Germany took the lead with a progressive feed-in tariff
policy, leading to a large national solar market and industry [19].
Since about 2008, the Chinese government has been heavily investing in their PV
industry. As a result, China has been the dominant PV module manufacturer for several
years now. In 2012 the worldwide solar energy capacity surpassed the magic barrier of
100 GW p [17]. Between 1999 and 2012, the installed PV capacity has hence grown by a
factor of 100. In other words, during these last 13 years, the average annual growth of the
installed PV capacity was about 40%.
junction were demonstrated with a conversion efficiency above 10% at the University of
Delaware. In 1985, crystalline silicon solar cells with efficiencies above 20% were
demonstrated at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
From 1984 through 1991 the world’s largest solar thermal energy generating facility
in the world was built in the Mojave Desert in California. It consists of nine plants with a
combined capacity of 354 megawatts.
In 1991 the first high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cell was published by the École
polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland by Michael Grätzel and co-workers.
The dye-sensitized solar cell is a kind of photo electrochemical system, in which a
semiconductor material based on molecular sensitizers is placed between a photoanode
and an electrolyte. We will introduce this technology in Section 13.6.
In 1994, the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado,
demonstrated a concentrator solar cell based on III-V semiconductor materials. Their cell,
based on an indium-gallium-phosphide/gallium-arsenide tandem junction, exceeded the
30% conversion limit.
In 1999, the total global installed photovoltaic power passed 1 GW p . Starting from
about 2000, environmental and economic issues started to become more and more
important in the public discussion, which renewed the public interest in solar energy.
Since 2000, the PV market therefore transformed from a regional market to a global
market, as discussed in Chapter 2. Germany took the lead with a progressive feed-in tariff
policy, leading to a large national solar market and industry [19].
Since about 2008, the Chinese government has been heavily investing in their PV
industry. As a result, China has been the dominant PV module manufacturer for several
years now. In 2012 the worldwide solar energy capacity surpassed the magic barrier of
100 GW p [17]. Between 1999 and 2012, the installed PV capacity has hence grown by a
factor of 100. In other words, during these last 13 years, the average annual growth of the
installed PV capacity was about 40%.