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Lawrence Kazmerski

Abstract

Solar Thin-Film Photovoltaics: No Longer an Outlier...

The birth of modern photovoltaics (PV) traces only to the mid-1950s, with the Bell Telephone Laboratories’ development of an efficient, single-crystal Si solar cell.  Many do not realize that thin-film PV had its real beginnings at this same time, based upon CdS and Cu2S.  Since then, Si has dominated the technology and the markets.  But a window of opportunity with the relatively fortuitous alignment of higher performing thin-film devices, the emergence of several key manufacturers, and a high demand for PV product elevated thin-film PV technology into a valid market competitor from its previous “outlier” status. 

Some focus of this presentation will be directed toward PV R&D and technology advances, with indications of the limitations and relative strengths of crystalline (Si and GaAs) and thin-film (a-Si:H, Si, Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2, CdTe).  Recent advances, contributions, industry growth, and technological pathways for transformational now and near-term technologies (Si and primarily thin films) and status and forecasts for next-generation PV (nanotechnologies and non-conventional and “new-physics” approaches) are evaluated. The need for R&D accelerating the now and imminent (evolutionary) technologies balanced with work in mid-term (disruptive) approaches is highlighted.  Moreover, technology progress and ownership for next generation solar PV mandates a balanced investment in research on longer-term (the revolution needs revolutionary approaches to sustain itself) technologies (quantum dots, multi-multijunctions, intermediate-band concepts, nanotubes, bio-inspired, thermophotonics, . . . and solar hydrogen) having high-risk, but extremely high performance and cost returns for our next generations of energy consumers.  This presentation provides insights to the reasons for thin-film PV technology emergence, how these technologies have to be developed—and where we can expect to be by this mid-21st century.

Biography

Lawrence L. Kazmerski is Executive Director for Science and Technology Partnerships at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado Director of the National Center for Photovoltaics at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado (having served as Director of the National Center for Photovoltaics, 1999-2008). 

He received his B.S.E.E. in 1967, M.S.E.E. in 1968, and his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in 1970—all from the University of Notre Dame.  He served in a postdoctoral position at the University of Notre Dame Radiation Research Laboratory (Atomic Energy Commission), January through August 1971, and was on the electrical engineering faculty of the University of Maine before coming to SERI (NREL) in 1977.  His research at Maine included NSF- and ERDA-funded work in thin-film photovoltaics and the report of the first thin-film copper-indium-diselenide (CIS) solar cell.  He was SERI’s first staff member in photovoltaics, hired specifically to establish efforts in the characterization of photovoltaic materials and devices; he led NREL efforts in measurements and characterization for more than 20 years.

He has held adjunct professorships at the University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, and the University of Denver.  Dr. Kazmerski has published over 300 journal papers in the areas of solar cells, thin films, semiconductor materials and devices, surface and interface analysis, molecular beam epitaxy, semiconductor defects, scanning probe microscopy, nanoscale technology, high-temperature superconductivity, solar and photovoltaics technologies, and solar hydrogen.  He has authored or edited four books, and serves on the editorial board of several journals—and he has more than 160 invited presentations at international conferences, workshops, and seminars. 

He was co-founder and editor of the journal SOLAR CELLS, published by Elsevier-Sequoia (1979-1991).  Kazmerski is Editor-in-Chief of the Elsevier journal, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.  He has four R&D 100 Awards.  He is active in the IEEE, AVS, MRS, APS, ISES, and ASES.  Kazmerski was the recipient of the Peter Mark Memorial Award of the AVS in 1981 and IEEE William R. Cherry Award in 1993.  He has received several international recognitions for his work in solar photovoltaics.  Kazmerski is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), a Fellow of the AVS, and a Fellow of the International Energy Foundation (IEF).  His is a Distinguished Lecturer of the AVS (1999-present).  In 2000, Kazmerski was recognized as a Honorary Member of the AVS for his contributions to science and the Society. Kazmerski was elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2005. 

Recently, he received the World PV Award from the international PV communities representing the Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the U.S. for outstanding leadership and contributions to the worldwide advancement of photovoltaic science and technology. In September 2006, he received of the Nelson W. Taylor Award for Materials Science by Penn State University.  He received the 2007 Karl W. Böer Medalist for contributions to solar energy.  In 2008, he was recognized with the  Charles Greeley Abbot Award for contributions to photovoltaics research and technology by the American Solar Energy Society.  In 2008, he was elected to the Environmental Hall of Fame, the first receiving this recognition in the area of photovoltaics.  In 2009, Kazmerski was elected as a Fellow of the Swedish Strömstad Academy for his contributions to photovoltaics science and technology.