Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AU, UK.
Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2011 May 13;369(1942):1840-56. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0348.
The opportunities for photovoltaic (PV) solar energy conversion are reviewed in the context of projected world energy demands for the twenty-first century. Conventional single-crystal silicon solar cells are facing increasingly strong competition from thin-film solar cells based primarily on polycrystalline absorber materials, such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). However, if PVs are to make a significant contribution to satisfy global energy requirements, issues of sustainability and cost will need to be addressed with increased urgency. There is a clear need to expand the range of materials and processes that is available for thin-film solar cell manufacture, placing particular emphasis on low-energy processing and sustainable non-toxic raw materials. The potential of new materials is exemplified by copper zinc tin sulphide, which is emerging as a viable alternative to the more toxic CdTe and the more expensive CIGS absorber materials.
在二十一世纪世界能源需求的背景下，对光伏（PV）太阳能转换的机会进行了回顾。传统的单晶硅太阳能电池正面临着越来越多的来自基于多晶吸收材料的薄膜太阳能电池的激烈竞争，如碲化镉（CdTe）和铜铟镓硒（CIGS）。然而，如果光伏要为满足全球能源需求做出重大贡献，就需要更加紧迫地解决可持续性和成本问题。显然需要扩大可用于薄膜太阳能电池制造的材料和工艺范围，特别强调低能耗处理和可持续的无毒原材料。新材料的潜力体现在铜锌锡硫上，它正成为更有毒的 CdTe 和更昂贵的 CIGS 吸收材料的可行替代品。
