Table of Contents

I. Introduction 1. Energy 2. Status and prospects of PV technology 3. The working principle of a solar cell II. PV Fundamentals 4. Electrodynamic basics 5. Solar radiation 6. Basic semiconductor physics 7. Generation and recombination of electron-hole pairs 8. Semiconductor junctions 9. Solar cell parameters and equivalent circuit 10. Losses and efficiency limits III. PV technology 11. A short history of solar cells 12. Crystalline silicon solar cells 13. Thin-film solar cells 14. A closer look to some processes 15. PV modules 16. Third generation concepts IV. PV systems 17. Introduction to PV systems 18. Location issues 19. Components of PV systems 20. PV system design 21. PV System economics and ecology V. Alternative solar energy conversion technologies 22. Solar thermal energy 23. Solar fuels Appendix A. Derivations in electrodynamics B. Derivation of homojunctions J-V curves C. Some aspects of surface recombination D. The morphology of selected TCO samples E. Some aspects on location issues F. Derivations for DC-DC converters G. Fluid-dynamic model Bibliography Index

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An invaluable, comprehensive guide for anyone studying or researching solar technologies, with particular focus on the physics and design of photovoltaic (PV) cells and systems.

About the Author

The authors all teach and research physics at the University of Delft in The Netherlands, where they are prominent in the field of solar photovoltaics. Their vision is to educate the next generation about the development of sustainable energy systems for a greener future.