SVC TechCon Plenary Address
Sunday Evening, April 20, after the Opening Ceremonies, Awards Presentations, and Annual Business Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Solar Photovoltaics Technology: The Beginning of the Revolution

Presented by Lawrence L. Kazmerski

The prospects of current and coming solar-photovoltaic (PV) technologies are envisioned, arguing this solar-electricity source is at a tipping point in the complex worldwide energy outlook. The co-requirements for policy and technology investments are strongly supported. The emphasis of this presentation is on R&D advances (cell, materials, and module options), with indications of the limitations and strengths of crystalline (Si and GaAs) and thin-film (a-Si:H, Si, Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2, CdTe). The contributions and technological pathways for now and near-term technologies (silicon, III-Vs, and thin films) and status and forecasts for next-generation PV (organics, nanotechnologies, non-conventional junction approaches) are evaluated.

Recent advances in concentrators with efficiencies headed toward 50 percent, new directions for thin films, and materials/device technology issues are discussed in terms of technology evolution and progress. Insights to technical and other investments needed to tip photovoltaics to its next level of contribution as a significant clean-energy partner in the world energy portfolio are provided. The need for R&D accelerating the now and imminent (evolutionary) technologies balanced with work in mid-term (disruptive) approaches is highlighted. Moreover, technology progress and ownership for next generation solar PV mandates a balanced investment in research on longer-term (the revolution needs revolutionary approaches to sustain itself) technologies (quantum dots, multi-multijunctions, intermediate-band concepts, nanotubes, bio-inspired, thermophotonics, . . . ) having high-risk, but extremely high performance and cost returns for our next generations of energy consumers. This presentation provides insights (some irreverent, some entertaining) into how this technology has developed—and where we can expect to be by this mid-21st century.

Lawrence L. Kazmerski is Director of the National Center for Photovoltaics at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1970 from the University of Notre Dame. His research at Maine included NSF- and ERDA-funded work in thin-film photovoltaics and the report of the first thin-film copper-indium-diselenide (CIS) solar cell. He joined SERI (later a NREL) as the first staff member in photovoltaics, hired specifically to establish efforts in the characterization of photovoltaic materials and devices; he led NREL efforts in measurements and characterization for more than 20 years. Dr. Kazmerski has published over 300 journal papers inthe areas of solar cells, thin films, and semiconductor materials and devices. He has authored or edited four books. Kazmerski is Editor-in-Chief of the Elsevier journal, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. He has four R&D 100 Awards. Recently, he received the World PV Award from the international PV communities representing the Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the U.S. for outstanding leadership and contributions to the worldwide advancement of photovoltaic science and technology. Recently, he received the 2007 Karl W. Böer Medalist for contributions to solar energy.

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