Thermal
Thermal
Concentrated | Parabolic Trough
Thermal
Concentrated | Fresnel
Thermal
Concentrated | Dish Stirling
Thermal
Concentrated | Solar Power Tower
Photovoltaic
Photovoltaic
Crystalline Silicon (wafer)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Non Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Multijunction
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Dye-sensitized
(DSSC)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Organic
Photovoltaic
3D Cells
Photovoltaic
Infrared and UV
Photovoltaic
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV)
Photovoltaic
Concentrated (CPV)
Luminescent Solar Concentrator
Heliostatic (tracking)
Concentrated
Dual PV/Thermal Integrated Systems
Updraft Tower
(Solar Chimney)
Thermoelectric
Photoelectrochemical Cell
(PEC)
Direct to Liquid Fuel
Direct to Hydrogen
Solar Chemical
(artificial photosynthesis)
Air Conditioning
Radiometer
Thermal
Concentrated | Parabolic Trough
Thermal
Concentrated | Fresnel
Thermal
Concentrated | Dish Stirling
Thermal
Concentrated | Solar Power Tower
Photovoltaic
Photovoltaic
Crystalline Silicon (wafer)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Non Silicon
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Multijunction
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Dye-sensitized
(DSSC)
Photovoltaic
Thin Film | Organic
Photovoltaic
3D Cells
Photovoltaic
Infrared and UV
Photovoltaic
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV)
Photovoltaic
Concentrated (CPV)
Luminescent Solar Concentrator
Heliostatic (tracking)
Concentrated
Dual PV/Thermal Integrated Systems
Updraft Tower
(Solar Chimney)
Thermoelectric
Photoelectrochemical Cell
(PEC)
Direct to Liquid Fuel
Direct to Hydrogen
Solar Chemical
(artificial photosynthesis)
Air Conditioning
Radiometer
Photovoltaic, Thin Film, Silicon
Amorphous silicon is less expensive to produce than either mono or poly-crystalline silicon. It is non-crystalline, meaning that the atomic structure is more randomized. While it operates at a lower efficiency than crystalline structures (about half the efficiency of monocrystalline Si), it can be placed in much thinner applications which can lead to a lower cost per watt capacity of the solar cell design. Its conversion efficiency is around 12%.
Other types of thin film silicon are Protocrystalline and Nanocrystalline (aka Microcrystalline). Some variations that combine layers of different types of thin film silicon have been referred to as Micromorph (a combination of the terms MICROcrystalline and aMORPHous).
Amorphous silicon is less expensive to produce than either mono or poly-crystalline silicon. It is non-crystalline, meaning that the atomic structure is more randomized. While it operates at a lower efficiency than crystalline structures (about half the efficiency of monocrystalline Si), it can be placed in much thinner applications which can lead to a lower cost per watt capacity of the solar cell design. Its conversion efficiency is around 12%.
Other types of thin film silicon are Protocrystalline and Nanocrystalline (aka Microcrystalline). Some variations that combine layers of different types of thin film silicon have been referred to as Micromorph (a combination of the terms MICROcrystalline and aMORPHous).