Design and development of three-dimensional solar cells

Abstract

Solar energy is one of the many clean, sustainable energy sources that can be harnessed to generate electricity in Singapore. As the average solar energy collected and generated per area square is 1,580 kWh/m2/year and more than half (50%) of that in temperate countries, it is safe to say that solar photovoltaic (PV) generation has the best potential for electrical energy and power generation in Singapore compared to other renewable energy sources, and its application has been greatly accelerated in the recent years. One of the main challenges encountered in widely deploying solar panels in Singapore is the available area for the installation, which is constrained by the Singapore’s small physical size of 716.1 k/m2 as well as its high population density and scar city of land. In this project, I will study the design and implementation of three-dimensional (3D) solar cells that have the potential to improve the energy generated per unit area. In addition to that, I will also investigate if 3D solar cells can increase the frequency of peak power generation hours compared to a two-dimensional (2D) flat solar panel design.