Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Advantages
• raw material is abundant, durable, environmentally benign
• 22% efficiency (incoming light to electricity)

Disadvantages
• producing high purity silicon is expensive
• low absorptivity (100 µm thick is heavy and rigid)
• high demand for computer chips raises price ($100/kg)
• $3-$5/watt


Barbara Maynard, "Solar Solutions," Chemistry, Spring 2007.