Spectrolab Breaks Solar-Cell Efficiency Record . . . Again
Cleanbeta
Spectrolab, a Boeing subsidiary, has set yet another world recordfor terrestrial concentrator solar cell efficiency by designing a cellthat converts 41.6 percent of concentrated sunlight into electricity.
The new record reinstates Spectrolab’s reputation as the leading company in high efficiency multijunction solar cells.
“This cell is an advanced version of our lattice-matched celltechnology that will be incorporated quickly and successfully into ourproduction line. This milestone underscores our emphasis on realizingthe highest efficiency cells in high-volume production,” Spectrolab’sPresident, David Lillington, told Solar Buzz.
The U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratoryin Golden, Colo., independently tested the efficiency of the Spectrolabcell in June, validating that it surpassed the previous record of 41.1percent held by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany.
High-efficiency solar cells in concentrator systems requirefewer cells to produce the same electrical output as conventional solarcells. They enable energy producers to generate more electrical powerfrom typical industrial solar panels and pass on lower costs tohomeowners, businesses and other end users.
Produced in February 2008, the new Spectrolab cell is an advancedversion of the lattice-matched triple-junction technology alreadyproduced in high volumes for space and terrestrial applications atSpectrolab, which pioneered the technology more than a decade ago. Thenew cell incorporates multiple improvements in wafer processing toreduce metal grid shadowing and series resistance, raising the cell’soverall efficiency for conversion of sunlight to electricity.
“Over the past decade, Spectrolab’s efforts developing terrestrialsolar cell efficiency have achieved an average improvement ofapproximately one percentage point per year, and we expect to continuethat pace,” added Lillington.
Further details about: Spectrolab
The Search for Environmentally-Sustainable Solutions & CleanTechnologies, Cleabeta is the blog of Clean Tech Law & Business.Clean Tech Law & Business is the firstpeer-reviewed journal devoted exclusively to legal and financialaspects of clean tech. Readers will receive academic-grade research andanalysis of the issues complicating the commercialization of criticaltechnologies from leading clean-tech authorities in law, finance,technology, government, non-profits and academia. CleanBeta is written byWilliam Pentland.¹ If you have any comments, questions or concernsabout content that appears on CleanBeta, please feel free to send themby email to w@cleanbeta.comArticles l Homepage