Thin-Film Solar Photovoltaics: Trends and Future Directions
Donald Intal, Abasifreke U. Ebong
TL;DR
Thin-Film Solar Photovoltaics surveys traditional and emerging thin-film technologies, assessing prospects, efficiencies, and market trajectories. It compares a-Si, CdTe, and CIGS with emerging perovskite, CZTS(e), QD, OPV, and DSSC, highlighting record lab efficiencies and commercial module performance. The paper identifies key barriers—stability, toxicity, and material scarcity—and argues that tandem architectures, improved encapsulation, and sustainable sourcing are essential to unlock thin-film PV's role in the renewable-energy transition. It also analyzes regional market dynamics and the path to parity with crystalline silicon via roll-to-roll manufacturing and lower system costs.
Abstract
Thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies address crucial challenges in solar energy applications, including scalability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. This paper reviews critically, thin-film technologies such as amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). It also discusses emerging technologies, including perovskites, copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), quantum dots (QDs), organic photovoltaics (OPV), and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Among these, CdTe and CIGS currently dominate commercial viability, achieving laboratory-scale efficiencies of 23.1% and 23.6%, respectively. Perovskites have notably advanced, reaching a laboratory efficiency of 26.7%. Thin-film PV technologies significantly reduce material use and manufacturing costs, offering distinct advantages such as flexibility and lightweight structures, thereby enabling diverse applications from building-integrated systems to portable electronic devices. Despite these benefits, broader adoption remains limited by challenges including long-term stability, toxicity concerns, and material scarcity. Addressing these challenges through advancements in tandem architectures, improved encapsulation strategies, and sustainable material sourcing is essential for thin-film PV technologies to substantially contribute to the global renewable energy transition.