Did you know Bell Labs unveiled the first modern solar cell in 1954?
Solar technology has come a long way since then! Enjoy this examination of how a solar panel is made, from cell to panel, including a peek at some of the supply chain challenges involved, and why they exist.
Silicon Ingot Production: The first step in making solar panels involves producing silicon ingots. Thankfully for tech-hungry humans, silicon is the second-most abundant element on Earth. First, high-purity polysilicon is melted with boron and phosphorus until it reaches 1420℃ and then cooled slowly to form a solid block known as an ingot.
As an aside, polysilicon is the key ingredient for the manufacture of photovoltaic cells and electronic chips, yet the vast majority of the production of polysilicon is limited to four countries (China, Germany, Malaysia, and the USA). Other countries (including Russia, Japan, and Qatar) account for the remaining 3%. Seven of the top eleven polysilicon producers are located in China. Wacker Chemie AG of Germany, OCI in Malaysia, REC Silicon ASA and Hemlock Semiconductor Operations in the United States complete the list of the major producers.
In 2018, the United States produced 33% of the world’s supply of silica. In 2020, China produced 69% of the world’s silicon, and the United States only 4%. In that same year, China produced 75% of the world’s supply of polysilicon. Still wonder why Covid crippled so much of the electronics supply chain? Anyway, back to the production of our silicon ingots…
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