Acerca de este curso: How do solar cells work, why do we need, and how can we measure their efficiency? These are just some of the questions Introduction to solar cells tackles. Whether you are looking for general insight in this green technology or your ambition is to pursue a career in solar, “Introduction to Solar Cells” is an excellent starting point. The course is a tour through the fundamental disciplines including solar cell history, why we need solar energy, how solar cells produce power, and how they work. During the course we cover mono- and multi-crystalline solar cells, thin film solar cells, and new emerging technologies. The course includes hands-on exercises using virtual instruments, interviews with field experts, and a comprehensive collection of material on solar cells. At the end of the course you will have gained a fundamental understanding of the field. This will allow you to identify the most interesting or relevant aspects to be pursued in your future studies or in your professional career.
Creada por: Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Enseñado por: Morten Vesterager Madsen, Researcher
DTU Energy
| Nivel | Beginner |
| Compromiso | 5 weeks of study, 2-3 hours per week |
| Idioma | English, Subtítulos: Hindi |
| Cómo aprobar | Aprueba todas las tareas calificadas para completar el curso. |
| Calificaciones del usuario |
Programa
SEMANA 1
Introduction
In this introduction module I would like to introduce you to the course its content and teaching style. I hope you will enjoy the way we have designed the course.
1 reading
- Leitura: Welcome to Introduction to Solar Cells
History of solar cells
The first topic in an introduction course on solar cells is naturally a historical overview. In this module you will briefly get introduced to the history and early development of solar cells. We will also start to do some calculations of efficiency and energy output of solar cells.
2 videos, 5 readings, 3 practice quizzes
- Leitura: Solar cell history
- Leitura: Invention of the modern solar cell
- Teste para praticar: History of solar cells
- Vídeo: Space applications for solar cells
- Leitura: Space applications
- Teste para praticar: Solar constants
- Leitura: Solar cells for planetary exploration
- Teste para praticar: Deep space
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: History of solar cells
Calificado: History
Calificado: Space
Why solar energy
The most important question one can ask must be: "Why is solar energy is an important topic and why should we develop solar energy?". This module does not claim to answer that question fully, but we will summarize the strong case for renewable energy.
3 videos, 5 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Leitura: Energy sources
- Teste para praticar: Direct radiation at Earth
- Leitura: Available energy
- Vídeo: Why do we need solar energy?
- Vídeo: Sunlight at Earth
- Leitura: Sunlight at Earth
- Teste para praticar: Can solar cells cover our needs?
- Leitura: Area need
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Introduce yourself
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Why solar energy
Calificado: Energy sources
Calificado: Sunlight at Earth
SEMANA 2
Power from solar cells
How much power can a solar cell produce and how can we measure it? This question is the starting point for this module and we will go through the terminology, talk about light sources, and even measure a solar cell ourselves.
5 videos, 4 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Vídeo: Power from a solar cell
- Teste para praticar: Measure maximum power output
- Vídeo: The IV curve
- Leitura: Power from a solar cell
- Teste para praticar: Power from a solar cell
- Vídeo: Measuring an IV curve
- Leitura: Measuring power using an electronic load
- Vídeo: Light sources
- Leitura: Taking the sun inside
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Power from solar cells
Calificado: Power from a solar cell
Calificado: Light
Modelling a solar cell
In this module we will introduce an equivalent circuit of a solar cell and use it to explain key concepts including short circuit current, open circuit voltage, parasitic resistances, and more. We will also talk about connected solar cells, and their behavior in shaded conditions.
2 videos, 5 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Leitura: Modelling a solar cell
- Leitura: Parasitic resistances
- Teste para praticar: Solar cell modelling
- Vídeo: Series and parallel connections
- Leitura: Series and parallel connections
- Teste para praticar: Solar cell connections
- Leitura: Shadow effects
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Modelling a solar cell
Calificado: Equivalent circuit
Calificado: Connected solar cells
SEMANA 3
How do solar cells work
In this module we will attack the topic: How do solar cells work? This module will be more theory heavy than other parts of the course, but don't worry. We will focus on the key concepts that are necessary to understand how solar cells work, and skip the math.
3 videos, 6 readings, 4 practice quizzes
- Leitura: How do solar cells work
- Vídeo: Semiconductors
- Teste para praticar: Color response
- Leitura: Semiconductors
- Teste para praticar: Semiconductors
- Leitura: Light interaction
- Teste para praticar: Photon energy
- Vídeo: The pn-junction
- Leitura: Conductivity and doping
- Teste para praticar: Doping
- Leitura: The p-n junction
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: How do solar cells work
Calificado: Semiconductors and doping
Calificado: How do solar cells work
Efficiency of solar cells
With a knowledge of the working principles of solar cells, we are now ready to apply this knowledge to understand why there are limits to the efficiency of solar cells. We will also briefly look into loss mechanisms that limit the practical efficiency.
2 videos, 4 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Leitura: Theoretical solar cell efficiency
- Teste para praticar: Efficiency
- Leitura: Tandem and multi-junction solar cells
- Teste para praticar: Theoretical efficiency
- Vídeo: Reflection and absorption
- Leitura: Reflection and absorption
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Efficiency of solar cells
Calificado: Efficiency
Calificado: Losses
SEMANA 4
Silicon solar cells
Silicon solar cells are by far the most prevalent solar cell technology. In this module we will talk about why silicon is so abundant. We will also learn how silicon solar cells are made, what differentiates multi and monocrystalline silicon, and much more.
5 videos, 7 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Leitura: Crystalline silicon solar cells
- Vídeo: How do silicon solar cells work
- Leitura: How do silicon solar cells work
- Teste para praticar: Working principles of silicon solar cells
- Leitura: Production of silicon solar cells
- Vídeo: How are silicon solar cells made?
- Leitura: From sand to high quality silicon
- Vídeo: How are silicon solar cells fabricated
- Teste para praticar: Production
- Leitura: Production of standard silicon solar cells
- Leitura: Summary
- Vídeo: Summary
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Silicon solar cells
Calificado: Silicon solar cells
Calificado: Fabrication
Thin film solar cells
Moving beyond silicon solar cells, the next important development is thin film solar cells. In thin film solar cells, we see a potential solution to the major problem associated with silicon solar cells: namely energy payback time.
4 videos, 5 readings, 3 practice quizzes
- Leitura: Thin film solar cells
- Teste para praticar: Thin film
- Vídeo: Thin film technologies
- Leitura: Working principle of CIGS solar cells
- Teste para praticar: Working principle
- Vídeo: Thin film solar cell production
- Leitura: Production of CIGS solar cells
- Teste para praticar: Production
- Vídeo: Summary
- Leitura: Summary
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Thin film solar cells
Calificado: Thin film solar cells
Calificado: Energy production
SEMANA 5
Polymer solar cells
We will now turn to an example of a third generation solar cell technology: namely polymer solar cells. Polymer solar cells promise to solve all the problems we see with other technologies. They are cheap and fast to produce, they are non-toxic and use non-scarce materials, and they exhibit the lowest energy payback time of any technology. In this module we will learn about pros and cons of this interesting technology.
6 videos, 8 readings, 3 practice quizzes
- Leitura: What are polymer solar cells
- Vídeo: How do polymer solar cells work
- Leitura: How do polymer solar cells work
- Leitura: The layer stack
- Teste para praticar: Working principles of polymer solar cells
- Vídeo: Production of polymer solar cells
- Leitura: Production of polymer solar cells
- Teste para praticar: Production
- Vídeo: Coating techniques
- Leitura: Coating techniques
- Vídeo: Printing techniques
- Leitura: Printing techniques
- Teste para praticar: Printing and coating
- Vídeo: Summary
- Leitura: Summary
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Polymer solar cells
Calificado: Polymer solar cells
Calificado: Production
Solar cell technologies
In our final module of this course we will look into a selection of solar cell technologies and spend some time comparing all the different solar cell technologies.
2 videos, 5 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Leitura: Three generations of solar cells
- Vídeo: Emerging solar cell technologies
- Leitura: Emerging solar cell technologies
- Teste para praticar: Solar cell technologies
- Leitura: Comparison of solar cell technologies
- Leitura: Additional resources
- Prompt de discussão: Discuss this module: Solar cell technologies and end of course
- Leitura: Farewell
- Teste para praticar: Course experience questionnaire
Calificado: Solar cell technologies
Calificado: Solar cells
Preguntas Frecuentes
Cómo funciona
Trabalho
Cada curso é como um livro didático interativo, com vídeos pré-gravados, testes e projetos.
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Certificados
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Creadores
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
DTU focuses on research in technical and natural sciences that contributes to the development of society. As an industrially orientated university, our goal is to supply high-level international research based on combining theory with constructing models and empirical methods.
Calificaciones y revisiones
Great course to know the history and also the technologies advancement for solar cells through the years. Learn the different types of solar cells available, with their advantages and disadvantages.
I must congratulate the course designer, the teachers and the mentors who has really worked hard to attend to all the queries during the course and help in faster and deeper understanding of the subject. I feel much more confident about the subject (Solar Cell) and can face any query related to it.
I wish good luck to all the teaching team and the trainees who enroll for the course.
With best regards
Vinay Datta (from India)
Good teacher, interesting topic
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AF
Highly recommended if you are interesting in renewable energies and in special of the big resource that are the solar cells