122:
1486:
177:
191:
1498:
72:, and so their energy is not converted to useful output and only generates heat if absorbed. For photons with an energy above the band gap energy, only a fraction of the energy above the band gap can be converted to useful output. When a photon of greater energy is absorbed, the excess energy above the band gap is converted to
83:
Solar cells with multiple band gap absorber materials improve efficiency by dividing the solar spectrum into smaller bins where the thermodynamic efficiency limit is higher for each bin. The thermodynamic limits of such cells (also called multi-junction cells, or tandem cells) can be analyzed using
129:
for the efficiency of a single-junction solar cell under unconcentrated sunlight. This calculated curve uses actual solar spectrum data, and therefore the curve is wiggly from IR absorption bands in the atmosphere. This efficiency limit of about 34% can be exceeded by
161:, the theoretical maximum efficiency is 43% whereas for a solar cell powered by the Sun's full concentrated radiation, the efficiency limit is up to 85%. These high values of efficiencies are possible only when the solar cells use
80:. The excess kinetic energy is converted to heat through phonon interactions as the kinetic energy of the carriers slows to equilibrium velocity. Hence, the solar energy cannot be converted to electricity beyond a certain limit.
157:
generation for each photon absorbed. Efficiency limits for photovoltaic cells can be theoretically higher considering thermodynamic effects. For a solar cell powered by the Sun's unconcentrated
142:
solar cells. The efficiency of the excitonic solar cells and inorganic solar cells (with less exciton-binding energy) cannot go beyond 31% as explained by
Shockley and Queisser.
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Cheng-Hsiao Wu and
Richard Williams (1983). "Limiting efficiencies for multiple energy-gap quantum devices".
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Excitonic solar cells generates free charge by bound and intermediate exciton states unlike inorganic and
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Giebink, Noel C.; Wiederrecht, Gary P.; Wasielewski, Michael R.; Forrest, Stephen R. (May 2011).
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447:"Thermodynamic efficiency limits for semiconductor solar cells with carrier multiplication"
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Thermodynamic efficiency limits for different solar cell technologies are as follows:
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338:"An Assessment of Solar Energy Conversion Technologies and Research Opportunities"
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300:"nanoHUB.org – Resources: PVLimits: PV thermodynamic limit calculator"
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362:
298:
Khan, Mohammad Ryyan; Jin, Xin; Alam, Muhammad A. (20 March 2016).
60:, and are therefore subject to the thermodynamic efficiency limit.
402:"Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p-n Junction Solar Cells"
120:
482:
486:
16:
Maximum possible efficiency of electrical power from sunlight
445:
Brendel, Rolf; Werner, Jürgen H.; Queisser, Hans J. (1996).
146:
Thermodynamic efficiency limits with carrier multiplication
363:"Thermodynamic efficiency limit of excitonic solar cells"
117:
Thermodynamic efficiency limit for excitonic solar cells
102:
Hot carrier- or impact ionization-based devices ≈ 54-68%
88:
Efficiency limits for different solar cell technologies
108:
Solar cell with an upconverter for operation in the
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412:(3). The American Institute of Physics: 510–519.
22:is the absolute maximum theoretically possible
1392:List of countries by photovoltaics production
1069:Solar-Powered Aircraft Developments Solar One
498:
400:Shockley, William; Queisser, Hans J. (1961).
8:
68:of the absorber material cannot generate an
874:Photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collector
1381:
1196:
900:
747:Copper indium gallium selenide solar cells
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1209:Grid-connected photovoltaic power system
1176:Victorian Model Solar Vehicle Challenge
1171:Hunt-Winston School Solar Car Challenge
231:
112:spectrum and with a 2eV bandgap ≈ 50.7%
30:. Its value is about 86%, which is the
451:Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
7:
1497:
1214:List of photovoltaic power stations
240:"Nanostructured Organic Solar Cell"
1230:Rooftop photovoltaic power station
633:Polycrystalline silicon (multi-Si)
582:Third-generation photovoltaic cell
205:Quantum efficiency of a solar cell
99:3-cell stacks and impure PVs ≈ 50%
38:, based on the temperature of the
34:, an approximation related to the
14:
1235:Building-integrated photovoltaics
732:Carbon nanotubes in photovoltaics
638:Monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si)
84:and online simulator in nanoHUB.
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607:Polarizing organic photovoltaics
189:
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742:Cadmium telluride photovoltaics
623:List of semiconductor materials
105:Commercial modules are ≈ 12-21%
854:Incremental conductance method
648:Copper indium gallium selenide
597:Thermodynamic efficiency limit
42:emitted by the Sun's surface.
20:Thermodynamic efficiency limit
1:
1161:South African Solar Challenge
326:(in German). 14 October 2022.
808:Photovoltaic mounting system
459:10.1016/0927-0248(95)00125-5
453:. 41–42. Elsevier: 419–425.
210:Energy conversion efficiency
165:and carrier multiplication.
32:Chambadal-Novikov efficiency
813:Maximum power point tracker
1551:
1064:Solar panels on spacecraft
911:Solar-powered refrigerator
869:Concentrated photovoltaics
849:Perturb and observe method
628:Crystalline silicon (c-Si)
406:Journal of Applied Physics
387:10.1103/PhysRevB.83.195326
1480:
762:Heterojunction solar cell
737:Dye-sensitized solar cell
577:Multi-junction solar cell
567:Nominal power (Watt-peak)
132:multijunction solar cells
64:with an energy below the
58:energy conversion devices
46:Effect of band gap energy
1245:Strasskirchen Solar Park
1136:American Solar Challenge
982:Solar-powered flashlight
969:Solar-powered calculator
964:Solar cell phone charger
653:Amorphous silicon (a-Si)
324:"Solar Yield calculator"
1535:Thermodynamic processes
1151:Frisian Solar Challenge
1121:List of solar car teams
879:Space-based solar power
859:Constant voltage method
788:Solar charge controller
674:Timeline of solar cells
669:Growth of photovoltaics
183:Renewable energy portal
163:radiative recombination
127:Shockley-Queisser limit
1141:Formula Sun Grand Prix
973:Solar-powered fountain
916:Solar air conditioning
717:Quantum dot solar cell
707:Nanocrystal solar cell
602:Sun-free photovoltaics
151:Carrier multiplication
135:
96:Single junctions ≈ 33%
1131:World Solar Challenge
954:Photovoltaic keyboard
884:PV system performance
757:Perovskite solar cell
555:Solar cell efficiency
220:Solar cell efficiency
153:facilitates multiple
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78:carrier recombination
24:conversion efficiency
1401:Individual producers
1109:Solar vehicle racing
798:Solar micro-inverter
727:Plasmonic solar cell
572:Thin-film solar cell
540:Photoelectric effect
215:Photoelectric effect
159:black-body radiation
997:Solar traffic light
977:Solar-powered radio
944:Solar-powered watch
752:Printed solar panel
587:Solar cell research
418:1961JAP....32..510S
379:2011PhRvB..83s5326G
343:. gcep.stanford.edu
277:1983JAP....54.6721W
1033:The Quiet Achiever
992:Solar street light
939:Solar-powered pump
712:Organic solar cell
592:Thermophotovoltaic
560:Quantum efficiency
155:electron-hole pair
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70:electron-hole pair
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987:Solar-powered fan
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783:Balance of system
771:System components
722:Hybrid solar cell
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643:Cadmium telluride
426:10.1063/1.1736034
367:Physical Review B
245:. me.berkeley.edu
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1201:PV power station
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1116:Solar car racing
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1074:Gossamer Penguin
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1468:Yingli Solar
1448:Sungen Solar
1423:Motech Solar
1377:PV companies
1338:South Africa
1156:Solar Splash
897:Applications
828:Solar mirror
688:Photovoltaic
596:
470:. Retrieved
450:
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429:. Retrieved
409:
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345:. Retrieved
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271:(11): 6721.
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247:. Retrieved
234:
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36:Carnot limit
19:
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1530:Solar cells
1463:Trina Solar
1408:First Solar
1348:Switzerland
1328:Netherlands
1166:Tour de Sol
864:Fill factor
803:Solar cable
778:Solar panel
699:Solar cells
304:nanohub.org
140:crystalline
53:operate as
51:Solar cells
28:electricity
1519:Categories
1385:By country
1255:By country
1190:Generation
1100:Solar boat
949:Solar Tuki
935:Solar tree
921:Solar lamp
904:Appliances
528:Technology
472:2011-07-22
431:2011-07-22
347:2011-07-22
309:2016-06-12
249:2011-07-22
226:References
1263:Australia
1240:Solar Ark
1146:Solar Cup
1038:Sunmobile
1018:Solar car
616:Materials
467:0927-0248
1491:Category
1453:Sunpower
1443:Solyndra
1418:JA Solar
1353:Thailand
1273:Bulgaria
521:Concepts
169:See also
66:band gap
1503:Commons
1458:Suntech
1333:Romania
1303:Germany
1268:Belgium
1192:systems
662:History
414:Bibcode
375:Bibcode
273:Bibcode
76:of the
62:Photons
55:quantum
40:photons
1308:Greece
1298:France
1278:Canada
690:system
465:
1433:Sharp
1343:Spain
1323:Japan
1318:Italy
1313:India
1288:China
1283:Chile
341:(PDF)
243:(PDF)
110:AM1.5
463:ISSN
125:The
1428:REC
455:doi
422:doi
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1363:US
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