Introduction to solar cells

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/solar-cells

Introduction

### Reviewing the Coursera Course: Introduction to Solar Cells As the world increasingly turns toward renewable energy sources in response to climate change and the need for sustainable development, the demand for knowledge about green technologies has never been greater. For anyone looking to dive into the realm of solar energy, the course **“Introduction to Solar Cells”** on Coursera stands out as a remarkable starting point. This engaging course offers foundational knowledge that is crucial for anyone interested in understanding solar cell technology. #### Course Overview **"Introduction to Solar Cells"** is designed for individuals at all levels of expertise, whether you're a complete novice curious about solar energy or someone looking to refine your knowledge for a career in the solar industry. The course addresses essential questions about solar cells, including their operational mechanisms, efficiency measurement, historical context, and various technological advancements. #### Course Structure and Syllabus The course is divided into several thoughtfully curated modules, each focusing on a critical aspect of solar technology: 1. **Introduction**: This initial module lays the groundwork by outlining the course content and teaching style, helping learners understand what to expect as they embark on their solar energy journey. 2. **History of Solar Cells**: Students are taken through a brief historical overview, exploring the early developments of solar cells, which sets a contextual backdrop for further study. Efficiency calculations and energy output are introduced here, providing practical insights into solar technology. 3. **Why Solar Energy**: This essential module tackles the pivotal question of why solar energy is crucial for our future, summarizing the case for renewable energy systematically and compellingly. 4. **Power from Solar Cells**: Learners engage with hands-on activities to measure solar cell power output and understand the terminology associated with light sources and solar energy production. 5. **Modeling a Solar Cell**: This module introduces an equivalent circuit model to clarify key concepts like short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage, shedding light on the behavior of connected solar cells in various conditions. 6. **How Do Solar Cells Work**: Although this section is theory-heavy, it effectively breaks down complex concepts related to solar cell functionality without overwhelming students with mathematics. 7. **Efficiency of Solar Cells**: The course dives into the limits of solar cell efficiency and the loss mechanisms that affect practical outputs, equipping learners with a keen insight into technological limitations. 8. **Silicon Solar Cells**: As the most dominant technology in the solar market, this module discusses the production of silicon solar cells, comparing monocrystalline and polycrystalline types alongside their advantages and challenges. 9. **Thin Film Solar Cells**: Students explore this innovative approach, addressing the energy payback time and potential benefits over traditional silicon cells. 10. **Polymer Solar Cells**: The course discusses the advantageous characteristics of polymer solar cells, highlighting their low-cost and non-toxic production, as well as their potential to lead the next generation of solar technology. 11. **Solar Cell Technologies**: The final module provides a comparative analysis of various solar cell technologies, encapsulating the course content while encouraging learners to consider the future of solar energy. #### Recommendations **“Introduction to Solar Cells”** is highly commendable for several reasons: - **Accessibility**: The course is designed to be accessible to beginners, ensuring that complex concepts are presented in an easy-to-understand manner. - **Engagement**: The blend of theoretical knowledge and practical exercises keeps users engaged and consolidates learning. - **Comprehensive**: Covering diverse aspects of solar technology, from history to application, the course provides a well-rounded understanding necessary for any aspiring professional in green technologies. - **Career Preparation**: For students considering a career in solar energy, this course serves as a solid foundation, packed with essential knowledge that can be beneficial in various roles within the industry. ### Conclusion In a time when energy independence and sustainability are paramount concerns, understanding solar technology is indispensable. Whether you want to augment your knowledge base or prepare for a career in solar energy, **“Introduction to Solar Cells”** on Coursera is an excellent course that equips you with both foundational knowledge and practical insights. Enroll today and be part of the solution to our planet’s energy challenges!

Syllabus

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.