News Article
Spire ventures higher with 41% efficient solar cell
The 1.0cm2 GaAs based triple junction concentrator solar cell is commercially available and is a result of a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
US firm Spire announced its subsidiary, Spire Semiconductor, LLC, has matched the current efficiency record for a concentrator solar cell. The record efficiency is available on a production ready cell with a photo area of 1.0 cm2.
The NREL measured the efficiency of 41.0% at 500x suns concentrated sunlight.
“This is truly an achievement,” said Roger G. Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire Corporation. “We have experienced continuous improvement in our proprietary cell processing design technology throughout the NREL contract. We are excited to have matched the current world record efficiency, and we have nearly four months remaining under the subcontract to surpass this level and achieve the target 42.5% efficiency. A more efficient concentrator solar cell will provide a lower cost and more reliable source of solar generated electricity,” concluded Mr. Little.
Spire began working with NREL under an 18-month, $3.7 million cost share subcontract in early-2009. The goal is to develop a triple junction GaAs 42.5% conversion efficient “Triathlon” concentrator cell for concentrator photovoltaic systems.
