New Photovoltaic Devices and Processes
The Solar Energy Technologies Program photovoltaic (PV) research in new devices emphasizes the development of novel PV devices and processes with potentially significant performance or cost advantages.
The proposed research will target the following photovoltaic areas:
- Design, development, and preliminary degradation testing of lab-scale device prototypes
- Completion of process demonstrations in lab-scale evaluations
- Preliminary science investigations or literature review without component or system prototype development
- Assessment of initial technical and market product or process technology concepts using laboratory investigations
- Physics-based modeling
- Parametric estimation
- Other relevant analytical methods.
This PV research focuses on two areas:
- Next Generation PV — emphasizes exploratory research and development of innovative, revolutionary, and highly disruptive next-generation PV technologies.
- PV Technology Pre-Incubator — helps small businesses bridge the gap between the concept verification stage of a PV technology and the development of a commercially viable prototype by 2012.