What is cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar panels?

PV array made of cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar panels Cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaics is a photovoltaic (PV) technology based on the use of cadmium telluride in a thin semiconductor layer designed to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity.

What is cadmium telluride PV?

Cadmium telluride PV is the only thin film technology with lower costs than conventional solar cells made of crystalline silicon in multi-kilowatt systems.

What are the advantages of a cadmium telluride solar panel?

The major advantage of this technology is that the panels can manufactured at lower costs than silicon based solar panels. First Solar was the first manufacturer of Cadmium telluride panels to produced solar cells for less than $1.00 per watt. Some experts believe it will be possible to get the solar cell costs down to around $0.5 per watt.

Are cadmium telluride photovoltaic cells toxic?

Cadmium telluride photovoltaic cells have negative impacts on both workers and the ecosystem. When inhaled or ingested the materials of CdTe cells are considered to be both toxic and carcinogenic by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

When was cadmium telluride invented?

Research in Cadmium telluride dates back to the 1950's because it is almost perfectly matched to the distribution of photons in the solar spectrum in terms of optimal conversion to electricity. Early leaders in CdS/CdTe cell efficiencies were General Electric in the 1960s, and then Kodak, Monosolar, Matsushita, and AMETEK.

How much tellurium does a CdTe PV module need?

One gigawatt (GW) of CdTe PV modules would require about 93 metric tons (at current efficiencies and thicknesses). Through improved material efficiency and increased PV recycling, the CdTe PV industry has the potential to fully rely on tellurium from recycled end-of-life modules by 2038.