Study of c-Si PV module manufacturing: scope for improvements in performance and reliability
Student name: Mr Akhil A. Nair
Guide: Dr B Prasad
Year of completion: 2015
Host Organisation: EMMVEE Photovoltaic Power Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Anshu Kumar
Abstract: The ever growing demand for energy coupled with the need for sustainable development has
been one of the main reasons behind the establishment of renewable energy power generation
throughout the world. India being one of the fastest growing economies in the world has one of
the highest energy demands.
With the ever fluctuating prices of fossil fuel sources and its depleting nature, renewable energy
is the way forward for survival of mankind.
India understanding the need for its energy has set up ambitious renewable energy power
generation targets for next 10 years. This has led to the establishment of many crystalline silicon
photovoltaic module manufacturing plants in the country owing to the fact that India has one of
the largest potential of solar energy resource. Targets in terms of gigawatt of power generation
using solar power has been set and thus millions of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules are
being manufactured daily and are being set up in the plants.
This study is undertaken to understand the various steps involved in the manufacturing of
crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and the importance of each components that makes up a
module. Further studies are carried out to understand some of the major defects occurring in the
module, its cause and possible solution. The work also suggests the possible methods by which
the performance and reliability of the modules can be improved.
Keywords: Crystalline silicon photovoltaic module, manufacturing, defects, improvement.
