Overordnede kursusmål
The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the
fundamental aspects of photovoltaics, which is the technology that
allows the conversion of light directly into electrical energy. The
course will have a strong focus on thin-film solar cells. Hands-on
experiments in the DTU Photovoltaic Laboratories will give the
students the possibility to fabricate absorber layers for thin-film
solar cells and evaluate the performance of the photovoltaic (PV)
devices. Lectures covering life-cycle analysis (LCA), reliability,
performance characterization, grid integration and technology
evolution in the context of markets, policies, society, and
environment will be given.
Læringsmål
En studerende, der fuldt ud har opfyldt kursets mål, vil kunne:
- Explain the physical working principles of photovoltaic
conversion in solar cells
- List the various solar cell technologies
- Describe their current status and future technological
challenges
- Utilize one method (vacuum or non-vacuum based method) for the
deposition of a thin-film absorber layer in a solar cell
- Compare different methods for thin-film manufacturing, in order
to select the optimal process for a given type of a solar cell
- Analyze the performance of thin film solar cells (I-V
curves)
- Identify critical issues related to the environmental impact of
solar cells
- Correlate different solar cells types based on energy payback
time, levelized cost of electricity, among other factors.
Kursusindhold
The course is divided into three parts: Fundamentals of
Photovoltaics, Thin-film Manufacturing and Characterization,
Systems and Market perspective. The first part of the course begins
with a short introduction to the solar energy. We will provide the
basis for understanding the key properties of the photovoltaic
materials used to build up the solar cells. We will then continue
with principles of optical design for solar energy applications,
including various concepts on how to increase light trapping and
absorption in high-efficiency solar cells. In the second part of
the course, an overview of modern thin-film methods for the
deposition of absorber layers for the solar cell devices will be
given. Fundamental aspects of thin-film growth will be discussed
with real examples to be tested in a Team project. Laboratory
sessions will give the students the possibility to explore how a
solar cell works in practice and analyze the performance of
currently manufactured thin-film devices based on CdTe and
CuInGaSe2 (CIGS). The final part of the course brings a perspective
to the solar energy market and introduces life-cycle analysis of
thin film photovoltaics. We will learn how to account for the
energy payback time of a solar energy product, PV systems
installations, and reliability and rent market perspectives.
Team project
A major element of this course will be your participation in a team
project related to fabrication of the thin-film absorbers by laser
ablation (more specifically Pulsed Laser Deposition), sputtering or
solution-processing. The duration of the team project is about one
week (scheduled in week 2 of the course) and will take place at DTU
Risø campus.
Project team assignments:
1. Each team will have a 15-minute presentation to the class
followed by 30-minute session of questions open to all
participants. The purpose is to help the participants to better
understand the possibilities of each deposition method and
stimulate informal discussions between participants;
2. Individual report of the team project.
Bemærkninger
Teachers:
Stela Canulescu, Sara Lena Josefin Engberg, Peter Behrensdorff
Poulsen, Sune Thorsteinsson, Nicholas Riedel, Gisele Alves dos Reis
Benatto
Sidst opdateret
12. oktober, 2017
