Sharp develops solar cell with world's highest conversion efficiency of 37.7%
Technology ( 9 )
OSAKA —
Sharp Corp says it has achieved the world’s highest solar cell conversion efficiency of 37.7% using a triple-junction compound solar cell in which three photo-absorption layers are stacked together.
Sharp achieved this latest breakthrough as a result of a research and development initiative promoted by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) on the theme of “R&D on Innovative Solar Cells.” Measurement of the value of 37.7%, which sets a new record for the world’s highest conversion efficiency, was confirmed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
Compound solar cells utilize photo-absorption layers made from compounds consisting of two or more elements, such as indium and gallium. The basic structure of this latest triple-junction compound solar cell uses proprietary Sharp technology that enables efficient stacking of the three photo-absorption layers, with InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) as the bottom layer.
To achieve this latest increase in conversion efficiency, Sharp capitalized on the ability of the new cell to efficiently absorb light from different wavelengths in sunlight and convert it into electricity. Sharp also increased the active area*4 for converting light into electricity through optimal processing of the cell edges. These improvements led to higher maximum output levels for the solar cell and enabled Sharp to achieve a solar cell conversion efficiency of 37.7% — the highest in the world.
Sharp’s aim for the future is to apply this latest development success to concentrator photovoltaic power systems that use lenses to collect and convert sunlight into electricity. The company also foresees numerous other practical applications for the cells, such as on space satellites and vehicles.
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0
jeff198527
Neat. Maybe solar energy will actually replace conventional energy sources soon.
0
basroil
jeff198527Dec. 09, 2012 - 07:53AM JST
Not if they need to use indium and gallium. Those two metals are not only rare, but incredibly expensive. This will only be used in very small applications, they mention satellites and solar concentrators, and perhaps industrial sensors as well.
Lets also not forget they use arsenic, so not very environmentally friendly.
3
zichi
Large quantities of arsenic are produced from the refining of tin which is one of the components of solder used extensively by the electronic and electrical industries, and others.
-1
TakahiroDomingo
three times they say highest efficiency value 37.7%, but they never mention what's the highest value achieved previously, was it 37.6% or 3% efficiency? anyway, i hope this really takes off one day soon.
0
badsey3
explanation chart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PVeff(rev121205).jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/PVeff%28rev121205%29.jpg (blow-up)
35.8% to 37.7%
0
basroil
TakahiroDomingoDec. 09, 2012 - 12:49PM JST
For expensive, non-mass production triple junction panels the maximum efficiency was 42.4% (in 2011). In fact, Sharp made a 42.1% efficient cell in 2010.
Either the person that wrote this lives half a decade in the past ( panels have been above 40% since 2007) or they completely ignored 90% of the actual story. Considering there's no author name, no wire name, no nothing, this is likely a press release posted verbatim without any actual story to go along with it.
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viking68
Baroil, Those efficiency numbers still seem high, but there is a wiki stating up to 43.5% with an average of 12-18%. The other question: what is the cost/efficiency ratio? Answering this question may put the lower 37.6% in better perspective if it is cheaper to manufacture.
Still, a few of advances happened this year with solar cells.
Hope Sharp makes better solar cells than they do TVs. My experience with their TVs and DVR has been less than stellar.
-3
basroil
viking68Dec. 10, 2012 - 12:18PM JST
Only the "author" of this article can give you fixed numbers.
However, simply given the materials cost, and cost of the doping materials, it's not pretty. This uses the same doping and structure as computer chips, so expect several tens of thousands of dollars per sq m even if they manage mass production and high yields. On top of that, they require both concentrators and solar tracking to be anywhere near viable within the atmosphere (these are used in satellites), so that increases install costs significantly.
Even if they were to magically go below W/$ cost of 17% efficient cells, the extra cost associated with the install process would likely offset it in the long run.
-3
basroil
http://www.gsaglobal.org/email/2010/general/0222w.htm
This is the newest thing I could get. The cheapest wafer per sq m is 150mm diameter, and ends up being over $20k. This stuff isn't meant for consumer products.
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