A green energy device with a CuInGaSe 2 (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) cell covered with a passive light‐trapping structure (ZnO nanowires (NWs)) and connected to an active energy‐harvesting device (thermoelectric generator (TEG)) is presented. The efficiency of the ZnO NWs/CIGS PV device obtained using a deposition temperature of 550 °C and Cd‐free processes reaches 16.5%. The series‐connected CIGS PV cell with a TEG had a record‐high efficiency of 22% at a cool‐side temperature ( T c ) below 5 °C. The open‐circuit voltage ( V oc ) of the hybrid CIGS PV/TEG device was increased from 0.64 to 0.85 V. This technology has potential for high‐efficiency energy‐harvesting applications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. In this research, a novel hybrid solar electric generator device combining a CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) photovoltaic cell with nanowires light‐trapping surface and a thermoelectric generator (TEG) is reported. The series‐connected CIGS photovoltaic and TEG hybrid achieved a record‐high efficiency of 22%. This technology provides high‐efficiency energy‐harvesting options.


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    Title :

    Hybrid Cd‐free CIGS solar cell/TEG device with ZnO nanowires



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2015




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English



    Classification :

    BKL:    53.36 Energiedirektumwandler, elektrische Energiespeicher