Materials Manufacturing Process Intensification for TW-Scale PV

Abstract:
Mitigating the impacts of climate change demands a swift transformation from hydrocarbon-based infrastructure to renewable energy sources, requiring expanded and more cost-effective manufacturing of photovoltaics. Reducing capital investment intensity, primary energy input density, and supply chain raw materials requirements for PV manufacturing are central metrics to both more robust supply chains and globally distributed production, and economically transformational since PV power is provided by durable assets that need no fuel.
This seminar will present analyses of opportunities and prospective impacts of combining innovative thin film PV semiconductor device and materials technologies with manufacturing approaches embodying the chemical engineering principles of process intensification. Combining these will be shown to reduce the investment requirements for and resource extraction impacts of renewable energy infrastructure transformation, reducing our risk of delaying global decarbonization.

Bio:
Dr. Billy J. Stanbery is currently a Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines and holds a joint appointment at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. His research focuses on transformative semiconductor process technology intensification; innovative materials, device architectures, and tools suitable for the large-scale manufacture of thin film photovoltaics; and econometric modeling of their potential financial viability and market impact. Since beginning his career in photovoltaics research in 1978 at the University of Washington while working at the Boeing Company he has researched photovoltaics in a wide variety of materials systems including organics, silicon, copper indium selenide, III-V’s, and set the world record in 4-terminal thin film tandem cell efficiency in 1990, which stood for 17 years. He is an innovator holding 23 US patents, an entrepreneur, and has served as president of both the Texas Solar Energy Industry Association and Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance as well as on Advisory Boards for both the Bay Area PV and Durable Module Materials Consortia. Dr. Stanbery holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida.