As the coming of the era average-price of photovoltaics, it is the utmost important thing to lower the manufacturing cost. The cost structure of photovoltaics mainly consists of photovoltaic components, inverters, lands, supporters and cables, investment cost and human costs. To increase single’ component’s efficiency is one of the most efficient cost-saving methods. What is more, to increase the size of silicon wafer is the best solution to increase single component’s efficiency.
Silicon wafers come from semi-conductor wafers. Silicon wafers have a development have a lower speed of 1 to 2 generations to compare with the semi-conductors. The bigger the silicon wafers are, the lower the average manufacturing cost is and the higher the quality of chip is. The bigger size of silicon wafers also bring the pros that more chips could be places in the same silicon wafer and the number of slices which are at the edges will be reduces which directly leads to a lower deficit rate.
The size changes of silicon wafers have 3 stages: The first is between 1998 and 2012 from 100 and 125 to 156 (M0), the second period is 2013-2017 which is from 156 (M0) to 156.75 (M1, M2), the third period is from 2018 to today which is from 156.75 (M2) to 158.75 or 166 (M2), 210 (M12). To increase the size of silicon wafers is an easier way to achieve large increment in the efficiency of components. For the manufacturing companies and electricity stations, this could lead to a lower average cost.
