{"title":"Costs and benefits of practitioner certification or licensure for the solar industry","authors":"W.L. Parker, W. Bower, J. Weissman","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190886","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190886","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a summary of the costs and benefits of different regulatory options available to the solar industry, including the prevalent status quo of no regulation, or licensure, certification, or state adoption of nationally-developed standards in the future. The evidence leads to the conclusion that voluntary national certification for practitioners represents the most beneficial option for the solar industry. Of the various regulatory options, only certification maintains freedom of choice for both consumers and practitioners and has the potential to provide the same quality-of-installation benefits as state-by-state licensure without imposing the restrictions and higher costs inherent in mandatory licensure. Certification provides consumers with a means by which to judge the skills and qualifications of solar practitioners, giving consumers increased confidence in the solar industry and rewarding practitioners for meeting high standards of training and practice.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131553357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L.B. Fabick, A. Yehle, S. Scott, B. Crume, G. Jensen, J. Armstrong
{"title":"A new thin-film space PV module technology","authors":"L.B. Fabick, A. Yehle, S. Scott, B. Crume, G. Jensen, J. Armstrong","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190761","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190761","url":null,"abstract":"ITN Energy Systems has developed a new thin-film space PV module technology based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells deposited on flexible 25 /spl mu/m. (1 mil.) stainless steel substrates. The cells are constructed into modules using a welded contact technology that acts as both the electrical and structural interconnection between cells; Thus, the cell string does not require a supporting substrate. Coatings are applied to increase the emissivity and lower the on-orbit operating temperature. An electro-static discharge (ESD) layer is also applied for charge dissipation to mitigate interaction with the space environment. Preliminary thermal cycle test data indicates the technology is robust relative to the space environment.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131370491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigation of chemical-bath-deposited ZnS buffer layers for Cu(InGa)Se/sub 2/ thin film solar cells","authors":"B. Sang, W. Shafarman, R. Birkmire","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190644","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190644","url":null,"abstract":"Chemical bath deposition of ZnS from solutions of ZnSO/sub 4/, thiourea and ammonia was carried out. Structural and optical properties of the ZnS films were studied. Cu(InGa)Se/sub 2/ solar cells fabricated with the ZnS buffer had higher quantum efficiency at short wavelengths but V/sub oc/, and FF were a little lower than those with CdS buffer. The best cell (total area: 0.47 cm/sup 2/) with the ZnS buffer was 13.9% efficient (V/sub oc/: 618 mV, J/sub sc/: 32.4 mA/cm/sup 2/ FF: 0.693).","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129096885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Hong, W. Kessels, F. van Assche, W.M. Arnold Bik, H. Rieffe, W. Soppe, A. Weeber, M. V. D. van de Sanden
{"title":"High-rate (> 1 nm/s) plasma deposited a-SiN/sub x/:H films for mc-Si solar cell application","authors":"J. Hong, W. Kessels, F. van Assche, W.M. Arnold Bik, H. Rieffe, W. Soppe, A. Weeber, M. V. D. van de Sanden","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190479","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190479","url":null,"abstract":"We present hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN/sub x/:H) films for multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells that are deposited at high rate (> 1nm/s) using an expanding thermal plasma. This remote plasma technique permits one to deposit a-SiN/sub x/:H with good antireflection coating properties and induces bulk passivation in mc-Si solar cells. The latter was observed by an enhanced red response of the cells' internal quantum efficiency. Here, we focus on the complete characterization of a-SiN/sub x/:H films deposited under various conditions from N/sub 2//SiH/sub 4/ and NH/sub 3//SiH/sub 4/ mixtures. The film properties of a-SiN/sub x/:H are found to be determined mainly by the N/Si ratio ranging from Si-rich to near-stoichiometric N-rich films. A study of hydrogen evolution after a thermal anneal by a firing-through process shows two distinctive regimes in terms of the N/Si ratio and the mass density of the a-SiN/sub x/:H films.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129107950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"First International Conference on Solar Electric Concentrators","authors":"R. Mcconnell","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190957","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190957","url":null,"abstract":"More than 100 attendees from 11 countries attended this auxiliary session to the 29th IEEE PV Specialists Conference, listed in the program as the \"Solar Electric Concentrator Meeting.\" Oral and poster presentations described concentrator projects from around the world, lessons learned from earlier projects, and pathways for PV concentrator systems entering markets for large scale electricity generation.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134047093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"PETAL: a research pathway to fossil-competitive solar electricity","authors":"D. Faiman, S. Biryukov, K.K. Pearlmutter","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190867","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190867","url":null,"abstract":"We outline the economic arguments in favor of using large parabolic dishes for CPV. We then discuss methods that have been employed to quantify the optical and tracking properties of PETAL, a 400 m/sup 2/ parabolic dish facility located at Sede Boqer in the Negev desert. Attention is drawn to the problem of light homogenization at the focal plane, and a method is discussed for achieving adequate homogeneity for CPV purposes.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"280 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132295285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Powalla, E. Lotter, R. Waechter, S. Spiering, M. Oertel, B. Dimmler
{"title":"Pilot line production of CIGS modules: first experiences in processing and further developments","authors":"M. Powalla, E. Lotter, R. Waechter, S. Spiering, M. Oertel, B. Dimmler","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190629","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190629","url":null,"abstract":"In order to advance the Cu(In,Ga)Se/sub 2/ (CIGS) thin-film technology to mass production maturity, ZSW and Wuerth Solar are running two lines: Wuerth Solar's pilot production line for 0.7 m/sup 2/ modules gives experience in industrial processing and the ZSW line for 0.09 m/sup 2/ modules is flexible enough to test new materials and processes. Baseline processes regularly produce CIGS thin-film modules with over 74 W/sub p/. Failure mechanisms like local shunts and ohmic losses are investigated by thermographic imaging. New process variations (atomic layer chemical vapor deposition (ALCVD) Cd-free buffers, reactively sputtered ZnO:Al) already result in module efficiencies >10% in the ZSW line.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132472700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Kurtz, R. King, K. Edmondson, D. Friedman, N. H. Karam
{"title":"1-MeV-electron irradiation of GaInAsN cells","authors":"S. Kurtz, R. King, K. Edmondson, D. Friedman, N. H. Karam","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190775","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190775","url":null,"abstract":"GaInAsN cells are measured to retain 93 /spl plusmn/ 3% and 89 /spl plusmn/ 4% of their original efficiency after exposure to 5 /spl times/ 10/sup 14/ and 1 /spl times/ 10/sup 15/ cm/sup -2/ 1-MeV electrons, respectively. The rate of degradation is not correlated with the performance at beginning of life (BOL). The depletion width remains essentially unchanged, increasing by < 1%. Temperature-coefficient data for GaInAsN cells are also presented. These numbers are used to project the efficiency of GaInAsN-containing multijunction cells. The GaInAsN junction is not currently predicted to increase the efficiencies of the multijunction cells. Nevertheless, GaInAsN-containing multijunction cell efficiencies are predicted to be comparable to those of the conventional structures, and even small improvements in the GaInAsN cell may lead to higher multijunction cell efficiencies, especially for high-radiation applications and when cell operating temperature is low.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"67 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133723139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dust mitigation for Mars solar arrays","authors":"G. Landis, P. Jenkins","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190698","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190698","url":null,"abstract":"Settling of atmospheric dust onto the surface of the solar array is potentially a lifetime-limiting factor for a power system on any Mars mission. For long-term operation of arrays on Mars, it will be necessary to develop techniques to remove deposited dust. Dust is expected to adhere to the array by Van der Waals adhesive forces. These forces are quite strong at the dust particle sizes expected. Dust removal methods must overcome this force. Removal methods can be categorized briefly into four categories: natural, mechanical, electromechanical, and electrostatic. The environment of Mars is expected to be an ideal one for use of electrostatic dust-removal techniques.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133705584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Triple-junction a-Si solar cells with heavily doped thin interface layers at the tunnel junctions","authors":"W. Wang, H. Povolny, W. Du, X. Liao, X. Deng","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190793","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190793","url":null,"abstract":"Triple-junction a-Si based solar cells, having a structure of SS/Ag/ZnO/n/sup +//n/b/a-SiGe-i/b/p/p/sup +//n/sup +//n/b/a-SiGe-i/b/p/p/sup +//n/sup +//n/a-Si-i/p /p/sup +//ITO, are fabricated at the University of Toledo using a multi-chamber, load-locked PECVD system. We studied the effect of heavily doped p/sup +/ and n/sup +/ layers deposited at the tunnel junction interfaces between the top and middle component cells and between the middle and bottom component cells on the efficiency of triple-junction solar cells. Preliminary results show that thin, /spl sim/1nm, interface p/sup +//n/sup +/ layers improve the solar cell efficiency while thicker interface layers, /spl sim/4nm thick, cause the efficiency to decrease. Incorporating the improved interface layers at the tunnel junctions, as well as earlier improvements in the intrinsic layers, the p-i interface in terms of reducing the band-edge offset, and the a-SiGe component cells using bandgap-graded buffer layers, we fabricated triple-junction solar cells with 12.71% efficiency in the initial state and 10.7% stable efficiency after 1000 hours of 1-sun light soaking. Samples sent to NREL for independent measurements show 11.8% total-area (or 12.5% active-area) initial efficiency.","PeriodicalId":177538,"journal":{"name":"Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002.","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2002-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133657590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}