Decade of PV industry R&D advances in silicon module manufacturing

The US photovoltaic (PV) industry has made significant technical advances in crystalline silicon (Si) module manufacturing through the PV Manufacturing R&D Project during the past decade. Funded Si technologies in this project have been Czochralski, cast polycrystalline, edge-defined film fed growth (EFG) ribbon, string ribbon, and Si-film. Specific R&D Si module-manufacturing categories that have shown technical growth and are discussed are in crystal growth and processing, wafering, cell fabrication, and module manufacturing. These R&D advancements since 1992 have contributed to a 30% decrease in PV manufacturing costs and stimulated a sevenfold increase in PV production capacity.