REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF SILICON FOR PHOTOVOLTAICS

Polysilicon photovoltaics are expected to play a significant role in meeting the world's shortfall in electrical energy that is estimated to be 1.4 tera-Watt-year by 2030. The photovoltaic industry relies on high-purity silicon produced using the Siemens process. New Siemens-Like processes as well as metallurgical processes for producing solar silicon are under development. Technological advancements in the Siemens and Siemens-Like processes are reviewed and their energy payback time as well as lifetime carbon emissions are examined. Those values are compared to the corresponding figures for photovoltaics (PVs) manufactured using solar silicon produced by a metallurgical route.