Silicon solar cells constitute about 90% of the worldwide solar electricity market (photovoltaic + thermal). This share is unlikely to change much over the next five years. In 2015, new silicon PV and wind electricity generation capacity was installed at a greater rate than the sum of new fossil and nuclear generation capacity combined. Reasons for silicon’s dominance include silicon abundance, moderate cost, low toxicity, high and stable cell efficiency, robustness, bankability, highly advanced and widespread knowledge of silicon, and extensive and sophisticated supply chains.

This Program Package (PP1) addresses silicon wafer-based cells and modules and has efficiency targets, increasing over the eight-year period, for cells formed from solar-grade silicon, all-rear contact cells and tandem structures that include silicon.