Silicon solar cells: The ultimate photovoltaic solution?

In the past, there has been a tendency to regard silicon cells as a stop‐gap ‘workhorse’, providing a photovoltaic presence in the market but with displacement by a more ideal technology being inevitable. Developments over the past decade encourage a re‐evaluation of this conception. This paper explores the proposition that, rather than being a stop‐gap, silicon has the potential to become the ultimate photovoltaic solution. Strengths relative to other emerging photovoltaic technologies are outlined, as are three alternative, and possibly complementary, routes for future evolution of the technology. the strengths lie in the presently established market position, the on‐going improvements to the technology and the remaining scope for future improvement and the sustainability of silicon‐based technology. the three possible routes for future evolution are the on‐going development of present bulk substrate approaches, the use of silicon cells in concentrators ranging from low‐concentration stationary systems to high‐concentration tracking systems, and thin‐film silicon technology.