Scientists fabricated a solar cell that is nearly 50% efficient, setting two world records for efficiency.
The six-junction solar cell now holds the world record for the highest solar conversion efficiency at 47.1%, which was measured under concentrated illumination. A variation of the same cell also set the efficiency record under one-sun illumination at 39.2%.
Above: The CIGS-Pero tandem cell was realised in a typical lab size of 1 square centimeter. © HZB
“This device really demonstrates the extraordinary potential of multijunction solar cells,” said John Geisz, a principal scientist in the High-Efficiency Crystalline Photovoltaics Group at NREL and lead author of a new paper on the record-setting cell.
To construct the device, NREL researchers relied on III-V materials—so called because of their position on the periodic table—that have a wide range of light absorption properties. Each of the cell’s six junctions (the photoactive layers) is specially designed to capture light from a specific part of the solar spectrum. The device contains about 140 total layers of various III-V materials to support the performance of these junctions, and yet is three times narrower than a human hair. Due to their highly efficient nature and the cost associated with making them, III-V solar cells are most often used to power satellites, which prize III-V’s unmatched performance.
NREL scientists John Geisz (left) and Ryan France. Credit Dennis Schroeder, NREL
The paper, “Six-junction III-V solar cells with 47.1% conversion efficiency under 143 suns concentration,” appears in the journal Nature Energy. Geisz’s co-authors are NREL scientists Ryan France, Kevin Schulte, Myles Steiner, Andrew Norman, Harvey Guthrey, Matthew Young, Tao Song, and Thomas Moriarty.
source NREL
This is what the world needs .i remember when Japan developed a pure- er. Quarts solar panels. I belive they were saying it was 7x’s that of the origional an nearly half again of the current solar . This gain can revolutionize the retail market if its massive produced. An become cost efficient. Bet that thumbnail chip cost over a grand for the government. Lets get it on the market. An save the world (Ha!). Or save on my electric bill.