ABSTRACT
Although the photovoltaic (PV) effect was discovered in the first half of the 19th century, the first PV cell to successfully power an electronic device did not emerge until the middle of the 20th century and was quickly followed by the commercialization of silicon-based PV cells. Silicon-based PV cells are largely equated with the first generation of solar cells and continue to dominate solar energy systems worldwide. Although not a perfect match to the colors and wavelength spectrum of sunlight, PV cells based on monocrystalline silicon are a mature technology and can be manufactured and produced into high-performing solar cells that can survive residential rooftop and stationary field-based installations for decades. In the quest for a cheaper alternative, other lower-cost forms of silicon, including polycrystalline and amorphous materials, have been explored for use in solar panels. Although two other generations of PV technology have emerged to compete with silicon, this chapter focuses on the first generation of PV technology and structures that rely on monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon to efficiently convert sunlight into useful electricity.
