Abstract
The conversion of solar energy into electricity has been sought since the 1800s. The augmentation of the once electrochemical system as a solid state device went hand-in-hand with the development of semiconductors. These semiconductors are made from ultra-fine silicon material that were doped with modifiers to make them behave as either positively or negatively charged materials. In this chapter, a brief history of PV manufacturing is presented, highlighting the proliferation of PV technology in the energy market over the years. A life cycle analysis (LCA) that will help in arriving at better PV device structure with recyclability and energy consciousness in mind.
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Alami, A.H. et al. (2023). First-Generation Photovoltaics: History and Conventional Manufacturing. In: Alami, A.H. (eds) PV Technology and Manufacturing. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31349-3_2
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