Study of silicon production processes and development of solar-cell fabrication technologies

The methods of purification of “Kazsilicon” metallurgical silicon produced by the carbothermal method, i.e., the reduction of high-purity Sary-Kol quartz into carbon, are developed. These technologies provide the basis for the industrial production of silicon, solar cells, panels, and solar power plants. Using these technologies, solar-grade silicon is produced, on the basis of which solar cells with an efficiency of 15.8–17.1% are fabricated. Panels of solar cells compose the “Astana Solar”, i.e., the first solar power plant in Kazakhstan with a power of 250 kW, which was put into operation December 25, 2012.