Market Nuggets: Silver Institute: Photovoltaic Demand For Silver Could Double By 2015

Silver will continue to be used for solar energy, with the amount of metal used in photovoltaics potentially doubling to 100 million ounces by 2015 from 50 million last year, says the Silver Institute.  Photovoltaics made from silicon are often coated with a thin film of silver to maximize light absorption and capture active components, says the Institute. “Silver, because it has the highest efficiency as a conductor of both electrical and heat energy, is also the major component of circuitry elements that transfer the energy to storage reservoirs or to devices making direct use of the photovoltaic-produced energy,” says the Silver Institute. “Silver is used in paste at the contact points of cells in the photovoltaic arrays. These arrays are then mounted on a substrate, and from these contact points, silver wires and inks provide the most efficient transfer network to the ultimate destination.” The Silver Institute is an international association of miners, refiners, fabricators and wholesalers of silver and silver products.

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