1. Context

By the end of 2020, cumulative photovoltaic installations represented 635 GW worldwide, for a global photovoltaic electricity consumption of around 585 TWh. Globally, 2.2% of electricity consumed was of photovoltaic origin. The share of photovoltaic electricity in the European Union rose to 3.9%. In 2020, solid silicon technologies (mono- and poly-crystalline) still outrageously dominated the market, with a share of 95%. .

However, other photovoltaic technologies do exist. Some thin-film technologies (CIGS, CdTe) have been around for a long time, with certified conversion efficiencies in excess of 20% on laboratory cells. Other very high-efficiency technologies (certified above 45%) rely on III-V semiconductor...