How to make a solar cell

This time, we want to introduce a photovoltaic module manufacturing process we have learnt from a training at Showa Solar Energy Corporation. Some details of the processes which we were not taught in the training have been ommited.

Main Process Flow

1. Cell Cut		10. Laminating
2. Solder Paste		11. Shaping
3. Ribbon Electrode		12. Edging
4. Soldering		13. Framing
5. Solder Paste		14. Junction Box
6. Strings		15. Final Inspection
7. Cleaning & Taping		16. Cleaning & Packing
8. Cell Circuit		17. Shipment
9. Intermediate Inspection
		-Manufacturing Results-

-Manufacturing Results-

For this project, 16 people from the Kurokawa laboratory divided into four groups to fabricate the PV module. An I-V curve measured by one of the groups (Group 3) is shown in the figure at right.

(Group 3)

Pm (Maximum Power) : 6.987[W]

Ipm (Maximum Power Current) : 0.779[A]

Vpm (Maximum Power Voltage) : 8.964[V]

Isc (Short-circuit Current) : 0.875[A]

Voc (Open-circuit Voltage) : 10.938[V]

FF (Fill Factor) : 0.730

The module we fabricated at Showa Solar Energy Corporation was GT418-TF module. Its electrical characteristics are shown below.

Pm (Maximum Power)	: 6.5[W]
Ipm (Maximum Power Current)	: 0.75[A]
Vpm (Maximum Power Voltage)	: 8.6[V]
Isc (Short-circuit Current)	: 0.80[A]
Voc (Open-circuit Voltage)	: 10.8[V]

The results of other groups are shown below.

	(Group 1)	(Group 2)	(Group 4)
Pm (Maximum Power)	7.003[W]	6.940[W]	6.690[W]
Ipm (Maximum Power Current)	0.829[A]	0.795[A]	0.780[A]
Vpm (Maximum Power Voltage)	8.451[V]	8.729[V]	8.574[V]
Isc (Short-circuit Current)	0.889[A]	0.876[A]	0.882[A]
Voc (Open-circuit Voltage)	10.929[V]	10.915[V]	10.917[V]
FF (Fill Factor)	0.721	0.726	0.695

All of the groups obtained good results. However, low value for shunt resistance was experienced by Group 4. This is probably the result of something that happened during the laminating process.

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