Cost analysis of roll-to-roll fabricated ITO free single and tandem organic solar modules based on data from manufacture

Abstract

We present a cost analysis based on state of the art printing and coating processes to fully encapsulated, flexible ITO-and vacuum-free polymer solar cell modules. Manufacturing data for both single junctions and tandem junctions are presented and analyzed. Within this calculation the most expensive layers and processing steps are identified. Based on large roll-to-roll coating experiments the exact material consumptions were determined. In addition to the data for the pilot scale experiment presented here, projections to medium and large scale scenarios serve as a guide to achieve cost targets of 5 Vct per W p in a detailed material and cost analysis. These scenarios include the replacement of cost intensive layers, as well as process optimization steps. Furthermore, the cost structures for single and tandem devices are listed in detail and discussed. In an optimized model the material costs drop below 10 V per m 2 which proves that OPV is a competitive alternative to established power generation technologies. Broader contextAmong the emerging solar cell technologies organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have gained enormous attraction due to their various advantages in applications, i.e. light weight, semitransparency, tunable band gaps and colors. The decisive criteria for a market entrance of a new renewable technology to become a successful competitor are the costs and cost potential which are inuenced by their processing technique. Currently processing of photovoltaic devices is mainly done in non-continuous batch-to-batch processes at elevated temperatures. OPVs offer the advantage of high throughputs due to their compatibility to continuous rollto-roll coating techniques. This leads to the potential to dramatically reduce the processing costs in comparison to mature photovoltaic technologies. One of the drawbacks of OPVs is their lower device efficiency in comparison to inorganic materials. The use of tandem devices offers the potential to overcome the limiting device efficiency of OPVs which requires the printing of several additional layers. Based on state of the art processing costs the exact material consumptions for single and tandem devices were determined and compared. We demonstrate that OPV is a competitive energy technology which is not only compatible with inorganic PV, but also with other energy technologies such as wind, hydro and biomass.

Toward a Low‐Cost Artificial Leaf: Driving Carbon‐Based and Bifunctional Catalyst Electrodes with Solution‐Processed Perovskite Photovoltaics

“…The presented data are either current high-volume prices taken from commercial vendors' offi cial listings or projections inspired by principles outlined in Refs. [69][70][71] . Moreover, as a future high-volume fabrication preferably should be executed in a solution-based roll-to-roll process, we anticipate that the PV substrate will be shifted from rigid glass to fl exible polyethylene terephthalate, that solutionprocessed Ag has replaced ITO as the transparent PV anode, and that the PV cathode is shifted from thermally evaporated Al to a solution-processed ZnO/Ag bilayer.…”

Fully printed organic tandem solar cells using solution-processed silver nanowires and opaque silver as charge collecting electrodes

“…9,[20][21][22] However, the overwhelming majority of efficient OSCs were fabricated in an inert atmosphere based on non-solution processed electrodes, such as sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) and vacuum-deposited metals, which are energy and time consuming processes and inevitably increase the production cost. 23,24 Therefore, the record performances of OSCs reported to date are impressive but do not directly contribute to the commercialization of the OPV technology.…”

Optoelectrical Imaging Methods for Organic Photovoltaic Materials and Moduls

“…This enables high speed roll to roll (R2R) printing and coating methods for production [15] that could potentially facilitate truly low cost solar cells [16,17]. The layers needed for power conversion is ~100-500 nm, which is why also the energy payback times are potentially as short as a few months [18].…”