Abstract
Tin is a vital component of the transparent conductive electrodes in thin-film
PV (TFPV) cells, but its use is often overshadowed by that of indium, which is
much more costly. Tin is used along with indium in indium tin oxide (ITO) and
also without indium as tin oxide, which is frequently doped with other
materials. ITO has been falling out of favor for TFPV electrodes over the past
decade but still accounts for roughly one-third of the market. Tin oxide is
one of two major alternative TCOs gaining market share for TFPV electrodes
(the other being zinc oxide, similarly doped with other materials). Tin
oxide' s growing penetration within the TFPV market is mainly due to two
factors: a trend of substitution for ITO in amorphous silicon (a-Si) PV and
the growth of CdTe PV, which almost universally uses tin oxide.
Growth in the TFPV industry will boost PV-related demand for ITO and tin
oxide. However, the high cost of ITO and the high-temperature deposition
conditions required for tin oxide will have implications for the long-term
growth of these materials in the PV industry, and these implications are
discussed in the report. The focus of the report is on the tin used within PV
materials. The report begins with a review of the state of the PV industry and
then analyzes tin' s roles in each of the PV segments. Finally, the report
quantifies the opportunities for tin in the PV space through an eight-year
forecast.
This report is one of a seven-report series on Metals in PV.
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