There are three main design formats for DSC products. The first is the parallel cell which requires integration of separate cells to form a module. This design has a number of materials engineering limitations, so it has not yet been commercialised. The other two designs, the Integrated Module and the Monolithic differ mainly in the design of the counter electrode.
The Integrated Module Design comprises two sheets of conducting glass with the electrode deposited on one sheet and the counter-electrode deposited on the second sheet. The advantages are:
- Semiconductor Processing – methods of improving nanostructural characteristics of the semiconductor to provide the preferred meso pore structure.
- Techniques are being developed to reduce voltage losses due to junction formation at the interfaces.
- Suitable for high solar radiation
- Optionally transparent or translucent
- Suitable for building integration
- Can be hermetically sealed for ultra long life
The Monolithic Design is built up sequentially on one glass substrate. The module utilises the conductive glass as the collector for both the electrode and counter-electrode. This design has the following advantages:
- Lower production cost
- Potential for larger cells
- Cheaper material bill
- Amenable to continuous production
Features of the DSC manufacturing process include:
- Materials used in significant quantities have the capacity to be produced cheaply in high volumes;
- Manufacturing processes are ‘simple’ using standard processing and assembly equipment;
- Embodied energy is low, i.e. the manufacture is not highly energy intensive;
- Manufacturing processes, being similar to thick film hybrid processes and laminated window manufacture, are amenable to automation.