Why Is Tellurium Used In Solar Panels

While cadmium is relatively abundant tellurium is not.

Why is tellurium used in solar panels.

Tellurium alloyed with cadmium forms the compound cadmium telluride cdte a highly conductive compound when exposed to sunlight. Cadmium telluride solar modules now account for around 5 of global installations and depending on how you do the sums can produce lower cost power than silicon solar. Of all the solar technologies cdte solar panels are the most. The united states is the leader in cadmium telluride cdte photovoltaic pv manufacturing and nrel has been at the forefront of research and development in this area.

But cadmium telluride s achilles heel is the tellurium itself one of the rarest metals in the earth s crust. Tellurium s primary use is for manufac turing films essential to photovoltaic solar. Tellurium te is an extremely rare element 1 5 parts per billion in the earth s crust. Human exposure to tellurium can lead to a garlic odor on the breath nausea and eventual respiratory problems.

How do we use tellurium. Cadmium telluride solar panels currently achieve an efficiency of 10 6 which is significantly lower than the typical efficiencies of silicon solar cells. Tellurium or its toxic effect on humans and ecosystems. Cadmium telluride cdte photovoltaics describes a photovoltaic pv technology that is based on the use of cadmium telluride in a thin semiconductor layer designed to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity.