Solar cell efficiency record set at 46 percent, 50 percent efficiency potential, Four junction cell, Soitec and CEA-Leti in France, Up from 43.6%
From REneweconomy December 2, 2014.
“New world record for solar cell efficiency set at 46%”
“A new world record for the conversion of sunlight into electricity has been established in Europe, after a multi-junction solar cell developed through a French-German collaboration achieved 46 per cent efficiency – up from 43.6%.
The record was achieved using a four-junction cell, developed by Soitec and CEA-Leti in France, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Germany as one of a new generation of multi-junction solar cells, developed specifically for concentrator PV plants, and expected to have an efficiency potential as high as 50 per cent under concentrated sunlight.
Each of the cell’s four sub-cells converts precisely one quarter of the incoming photons into electricity, thanks to precise tuning of the composition and thicknesses of each layer inside the cell structure.
The new record of 46 per cent efficiency – the cooperation’s second world record in a year – has been confirmed by the Japanese Nationasilex CPV dishesl Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, one of the leading centres for independent verification of solar cell performance results under standard-testing conditions.”
Read more:
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/new-world-record-for-solar-cell-efficiency-set-at-46-73582