Numerical investigation on laboratory-developed CdS/ CdTe thin film solar cell

Abstract

Sri Lanka is aiming to make its electricity sector more environmentally friendly by 2050 by achieving carbon neutrality in the electricity industry. As a result, electricity generation is being planned to reach 70% of it by Renewable Energy (RE) sources [1]. According to the latest Long Term Generation Expansion Plan 2023-2042, our country will have 31% of its energy share from solar power [2]. However, the low efficiency and high cost of solar panels are currently a barrier to achieving this goal. The purpose of this study is to propose a method to increase the efficiency of the glass/FTO/CdS/CdTe/Cu/Au solar cell which was developed under laboratory conditions. CdTe solar cells are second-generation thin film solar cells that are more economical and can increase efficiency subsequently than the first-generation Si solar cells [3]. Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS 1D) software is used for the simulations and the software is validated using practically measured cell output parameters and simulation results to ensure its suitability for the study.