Photovoltaics fundamentals, technology and application: Thin-film PV technology

Photovoltaic (PV) conversion is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity with no intervening heat engine. This chapter briefly reviews the physics of PV electrical generation, followed by a discussion of the PV system design process. The PV technology has made tremendous progress in the last decade, where the PV system deployment around the world has been increasing at an average annual rate of more than 50". The PV industry is currently engaged in an effort to ensure quality control at all levels of system deployment, including manufacturing, distribution, design, installation, inspection, and maintenance. Crystalline silicon (c-Si) technology has a lion's share in the present PV industry, contributing more than 85" through the cells and modules based on poly-, mono-, and multicrystalline wafer technology. The chapter discusses multijunction solar cells which are used for better utilization of solar spectrum and to improve the stability of the solar cells.