A new solar photovoltaic conversion efficiency record for solar cells made of amorphous and monocrystalline silicon of 21.4% was recently set, thanks to the innovations of researchers at EPFL’s Institute of Microengineering in Neuchatel. The research team, led by professor Christophe Ballif, director of the Photovoltaics Laboratory (PVlab), recently … [continued]
IBM Materials Science researchers, in conjunction with partners from Solar Frontier, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK) and DelSolar, have developed an efficient and affordable PV cell that is made from abundant natural materials, and has already crushed the world record for PV solar-to-electric power conversion efficiency using earth-abundant materials. The team … [continued]
Stion, a US company manufacturing high-efficiency, thin-film solar modules, today announced that it has achieved a new aperture efficiency record for fully certified, monolithically integrated CIGS, commercial modules (65 cm x 165 cm). The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) verified the 14.8% aperture efficiency (and 13.4% module efficiency). … [continued]
I think I need to start a page of solar records and just keep it updated as each new announcement comes out. The latest solar record, after a spurt of other solar record announcements, reportedly sets “the highest performance reached to date for a P-type mono-crystalline cell.” It was … [continued]
Sharp has developed solar cells that match the concentrator solar cell efficiency world record set by Solar Junction last year. The technology’s staggering 43.5% efficiency from a triple-junction compound solar cell is 1.2% higher than the efficiency of the cells holding the record before March of 2011 (when Solar Junction … [continued]
Woops, another day, another two solar records (not just the MiaSole solar record just announced). Researchers in the University of Florida’s physics department have reportedly set a new record for graphene solar cell efficiency. Here’s more from the University of Florida: Graphene solar cells are one of industry’s great hopes … [continued]
Another day, another solar world record set. I think I need to start a page of solar world records — would be a useful resource, I imagine. The latest is from MiaSolé, which has set a new world record of 15.5% area efficiency for flexible PV solar modules. Here’s … [continued]
Solar cells are awesome, and LEDs are awesome, but what about solar cells that also act like LEDs — double awesome? It seems so, and perhaps most notably, such solar cells also have increased voltage. The purpose of solar cells is to capture as much light as possible and … [continued]
Another week, another solar power efficiency record set! A California-based manufacturer of flexible thin-film solar cells and solar panels, SoloPower, yesterday announced a record aperture area efficiency for flexible copper, indium, gallium and (di)selenide (“CIGS”) modules — 13.4%. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) independently certified the record efficiency. “Importantly, the cells … [continued]
UPDATE (January 3, 12:40 EST): I contacted Solar3D to get more clarity on what exactly achieved this 25.47%. Here’s Solar3D CEO Jim Nelson’s response: “The test is on a design–it is an analytical test, not a test on a developed prototype.” Solar 3D brings silicon solar cell efficiency record up … [continued]
