Award-Winning Etching Process Cuts Solar Cell Costs (Fact Sheet)

NREL scientists have invented the 'black silicon' nanocatalytic wet-chemical etch, an inexpensive, one-step process that literally turns the solar cells black, allowing them to absorb more than 98% of incident sunlight. The process costs just a few cents per watt of solar-cell power-producing capacity. Increases in manufactured cell efficiencies of up to 0.8% are possible because of the reducedreflectance of black silicon. This would reduce silicon solar module costs by $5-$10 per module.