Tag Archives: record
Alta Devices Hits 30.8% PV Cell Efficiency
Alta Devices reached 30.8 percent solar cell conversion efficiency earlier this month. The company developed a dual-junction thin-film PV device that builds on its previous single junction cell. The company said its a new world record for the dual junction cells. The results were verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). And while this [...]
CdTe PV Efficiency Record Goes Back to First Solar
Last month we reported on how General Electric quietly stole the cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cell effficiency crown from First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) — with a solar cell clocking in at 18.3 percent. When I asked First Solar CTO Raffi Garabedian for a comment at the time, he was respectful, but said that it didn’t [...]
GE Research Achieves CdTe PV Efficiency Record
Rather quietly, GE Research has bested First Solar for the cadmium telluride PV cell efficiency record. Clocking in at 18.3 percent, the new record edges First Solar’s previous mark by a full 1 percent. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) hit 17.3 percent about a year ago. Presumably, this record was set using the PrimeStar Solar technology acquired [...]
Sharp Hits 37.7% Solar Cell Efficiency
Sharp Corporation has set the world record for solar cell conversion efficiency – 37.7 percent – the Osaka-based multinational announced. The Japanese electronics company said it achieved the breakthrough using a triple-junction compound solar cell wherein photo-absorption layers are piled together. Compound solar cells use photo-absorption layers made from compounds made up of two or [...]
Amonix Achieves Solar Module Record at 33.5% Efficiency
Over one-third efficient at converting sunlight into electricity—in real-world conditions—that’s what Amonix Inc. achieved earlier this year. The company announced Oct. 30 that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) tested its newest module in real-world conditions where it reached an outdoor operating efficiency rating of 33.5 percent, and peaked at 34.2 percent. The level is [...]
MiaSolé Sets Flexible CIGS Efficiency Record
We’ve been keeping a tally of recent record-setting solar cell and module achievements. We’re now adding MiaSolé’s 15.5 percent efficiency mark for a flexible CIGS solar cell. Note that this is an aperture-area efficiency on a commercial-size flexible PV module with a total area of 1.68 square meters. That eclipses the 13.4 percent mark recently [...]
Breakthrough Rivals Speed of Natural Photosynthesis
Artificial photosynthesis has always remained us of the ‘Holy Grail’ of sustainability oriented research, especially when it comes to the naturalistic process of harnessing energy. In this regard, scientists from Swedish KTH Royal Institute of Technology have successfully contrived a catalyst that can split water molecules into oxygen and protons. However, the brouhaha is not [...]
G24 Innovations Announces 26% Efficient Dye-sensitised Solar Cells
I have no idea exactly how good 26 per cent efficiency is in the overall scheme of things, but apparently it whipped the old record of 15 percent and means we are at last knocking on the door of small power heaven. Which also means that as soon as these solar cells, which work indoors [...]
BREAKTHROUGH: Natcore Black Solar Cell Absorbs 99.7% of All Light
There is absolutely no doubt regarding the popularity of solar energy compared to many other forms of alternate energy sources. It is easy to install, is not a visual distraction, a lot more reliable and photovoltaic panels can be pretty much integrated into most surfaces. But, one of the major breakthroughs that will help in [...]