Lo que es
Silver use per cell has fallen by roughly two-thirds over a decade through thinner printed lines, and it is still the largest single industrial use of silver.
La lista de materiales
Escálelo →Las cantidades son per MW of capacityrango indicativo
| Material | Bajo | Alto | Unidad | Base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium crítico | 5,000 | 9,000 | kg | Frames and mounting |
| Copper crítico | 2,000 | 4,000 | kg | Wiring, ribbon and inverter |
| Silicon crítico | 2,500 | 4,000 | kg | Polysilicon in the wafers |
| Soda Ash | 1,000 | 2,500 | kg | Cover glass |
| Silver crítico Falling with every generation of cell design. | 8.00 | 20.00 | kg | Front-contact paste |
Indicative range compiled from published technology studies and chemistry; verify against a manufacturer specification before use. Las filas marcadas como «traza» contienen el material en cantidades demasiado pequeñas para expresarse de forma útil como masa; la restricción allí es la pureza o el número de proveedores, no el tonelaje.
Las alternativas
La sustitución es la fuerza más subestimada en materiales. Cuando un metal se encarece o resulta políticamente problemático, los ingenieros diseñan soluciones alternativas — y la demanda de una mina entera puede desvanecerse.
Cadmium Telluride Thin-Film Module
A solar panel a few microns thick, using no silicon at all.
Gallium Nitride Power Device
A switch that turns on and off far faster than silicon, so power supplies can shrink.
Leading-Edge Logic Chip
The most advanced processors, built on wafers that pass through hundreds of process steps.