Materials for Next-Generation Photovoltaics – 2014-2021
The PV boom and bust has rebooted efforts to commercialize the next generation of materials platforms for solar panels. There has recently been a resurgence of the solar panel industry but many of the surviving firms are Chinese companies making conventional crystalline silicon (c-Si) panels. Also surviving is First Solar with its stable and ongoing production of CdTe.
With the solar panel industry now back on track, however, the search is on once more for materials platforms that improve the conversion efficiency of solar panels, both now and in the future. Some of these are close at hand – novel approaches to doping silicon panels are a good example here. Meanwhile, the thin-film PV sector is looking for its next success after CdTe. This could be CIGS, but there are also several other complex materials that are being developed for next generation thin-film solar and which are now beginning to receive serious commercial attention.
We are also seeing the solar industry beginning to think out of the box with a slew of entirely new nanomaterials such as quantum dots, nanowires, nanotubes and graphene. The commercialization of these materials for solar applications lies a few years off. But eventually they will offer radical new ways to boost the performance of the absorber, photoactive and electrode layers in next-generation solar panels.
In this report NanoMarkets develops a roadmap for next-generation solar materials and analyzes their revenue potential over the next eight years. The report includes a granular eight-year forecast of quantities shipped of these materials and revenues generated. The report also examines the commercialization strategies of the suppliers already actively involved in this space as well as the opportunities emerging for start-ups.
With the solar panel industry now back on track, however, the search is on once more for materials platforms that improve the conversion efficiency of solar panels, both now and in the future. Some of these are close at hand – novel approaches to doping silicon panels are a good example here. Meanwhile, the thin-film PV sector is looking for its next success after CdTe. This could be CIGS, but there are also several other complex materials that are being developed for next generation thin-film solar and which are now beginning to receive serious commercial attention.
We are also seeing the solar industry beginning to think out of the box with a slew of entirely new nanomaterials such as quantum dots, nanowires, nanotubes and graphene. The commercialization of these materials for solar applications lies a few years off. But eventually they will offer radical new ways to boost the performance of the absorber, photoactive and electrode layers in next-generation solar panels.
In this report NanoMarkets develops a roadmap for next-generation solar materials and analyzes their revenue potential over the next eight years. The report includes a granular eight-year forecast of quantities shipped of these materials and revenues generated. The report also examines the commercialization strategies of the suppliers already actively involved in this space as well as the opportunities emerging for start-ups.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Objectives and Scope of This Report
Methodology and Information Sources
Plan of This Report
Key Technology Trends In Solar Panels
Rethinking Cell Structures
New Directions In Absorber and Photoactive Materials
Materials Trends In Solar Panel Electrodes
The Start-Up Potential for Next-Generation Solar Industry
Opportunities for Material Firms and Specialty Chemical Industry
How New Materials Could Expand the Addressable Market for Solar Panels
Six Firms to Watch
Forecast Assumptions
Summary of Eight-Year Forecast of Next-Generation PV Materials
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Classification of PV Technologies
Efficiency and Cost Comparison of Next-Generation PV Technologies
Evolution of the Standard C-Si PV Technology
Growing Preference for N-Type Si PV Technology
Recent Developments In the Next-Gen C-Si Segment
Fate of Thin-Film Technology
Potential Next-Generation PV Materials
Recent Developments In Next-Gen Thin-Film PV
CHAPTER TWO: EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN SILICON PHOTOVOLTAICS
Next-Gen C-Si Technologies
Need for New N-Type Dopants
Recent Developments In N-Type Dopants
Trends In N-Type Substrates
Is there Hope for Thin-Film Silicon PV?
Status of Nano-Silicon Solutions
Notable Manufacturing Trends
Key Points Made In This Chapter
CHAPTER THREE: THE NEXT-GENERATION THIN-FILM PV
CIGS Resurgent?
CZTS and Its Variants: the New Thin-Film Wonder Material?
Other Potential Thin-Film Materials
Improving CdTe Based Thin-Film PV Technology
Key Suppliers of Novel Thin-Film PV Materials
Improving Manufacturing Options for Thin-Film PV
Key Points Made In This Chapter
CHAPTER FOUR: OPV AND DSC: THE NEXT GENERATION
The Future of OPV
Perovskites: Next-Generation DSC?
Key Suppliers of DSC Materials
Eight-Year Forecast of Materials for Next-Generation OPV and DSC
Key Points Made In This Chapter
CHAPTER FIVE: NANOMATERIALS FOR NEXT-GENERATION PV
Quantum Dot PV: How Far In the Future?
Promising Materials for QD PV
Suppliers of Materials and Panels for QD PV
Carbon Nanotubes In Next-Generation PV
Carbon Nanotubes: Absorber and Photoactive Layer
Carbon Nanotubes: Transparent Conductor
Graphene In Next-Generation PV
Graphene
Graphene: Absorber and Photoactive Layer
Graphene: Transparent Conductor
Silver Nanowires/Metal Meshes for Transparent Conductors In Next-Generation PV
Possible Uses for Semiconductor Nanowires In Next-Generation PV
Suppliers of Nanomaterials for Next-Generation PV
Eight-Year forecast of Nanomaterials for Next-Generation PV
Key Points Made In This Chapter
Objectives and Scope of This Report
Methodology and Information Sources
Plan of This Report
Key Technology Trends In Solar Panels
Rethinking Cell Structures
New Directions In Absorber and Photoactive Materials
Materials Trends In Solar Panel Electrodes
The Start-Up Potential for Next-Generation Solar Industry
Opportunities for Material Firms and Specialty Chemical Industry
How New Materials Could Expand the Addressable Market for Solar Panels
Six Firms to Watch
Forecast Assumptions
Summary of Eight-Year Forecast of Next-Generation PV Materials
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Classification of PV Technologies
Efficiency and Cost Comparison of Next-Generation PV Technologies
Evolution of the Standard C-Si PV Technology
Growing Preference for N-Type Si PV Technology
Recent Developments In the Next-Gen C-Si Segment
Fate of Thin-Film Technology
Potential Next-Generation PV Materials
Recent Developments In Next-Gen Thin-Film PV
CHAPTER TWO: EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN SILICON PHOTOVOLTAICS
Next-Gen C-Si Technologies
Need for New N-Type Dopants
Recent Developments In N-Type Dopants
Trends In N-Type Substrates
Is there Hope for Thin-Film Silicon PV?
Status of Nano-Silicon Solutions
Notable Manufacturing Trends
Key Points Made In This Chapter
CHAPTER THREE: THE NEXT-GENERATION THIN-FILM PV
CIGS Resurgent?
CZTS and Its Variants: the New Thin-Film Wonder Material?
Other Potential Thin-Film Materials
Improving CdTe Based Thin-Film PV Technology
Key Suppliers of Novel Thin-Film PV Materials
Improving Manufacturing Options for Thin-Film PV
Key Points Made In This Chapter
CHAPTER FOUR: OPV AND DSC: THE NEXT GENERATION
The Future of OPV
Perovskites: Next-Generation DSC?
Key Suppliers of DSC Materials
Eight-Year Forecast of Materials for Next-Generation OPV and DSC
Key Points Made In This Chapter
CHAPTER FIVE: NANOMATERIALS FOR NEXT-GENERATION PV
Quantum Dot PV: How Far In the Future?
Promising Materials for QD PV
Suppliers of Materials and Panels for QD PV
Carbon Nanotubes In Next-Generation PV
Carbon Nanotubes: Absorber and Photoactive Layer
Carbon Nanotubes: Transparent Conductor
Graphene In Next-Generation PV
Graphene
Graphene: Absorber and Photoactive Layer
Graphene: Transparent Conductor
Silver Nanowires/Metal Meshes for Transparent Conductors In Next-Generation PV
Possible Uses for Semiconductor Nanowires In Next-Generation PV
Suppliers of Nanomaterials for Next-Generation PV
Eight-Year forecast of Nanomaterials for Next-Generation PV
Key Points Made In This Chapter
