New Photovoltaic Record
NREL Photovoltaic Technologies
Scientists working for the DOE’s Renewable Energy Lab reached an efficiency of 40.8% with an inverted metaphoric triple-junction PV cell. From the article on ElectricalEngineer.com:
The 40.8 percent efficiency was measured under concentrated light of 326 suns. One sun is about the amount of light that typically hits Earth on a sunny day. The new cell is a natural candidate for the space satellite market and for terrestrial concentrated photovoltaic arrays, which use lenses or mirrors to focus sunlight onto the solar cells.
As the prices on non-renewable energy sources continue to rise, it’s encouraging to see the efficiency of various renewable energy sources improving.
-Ben Connor Barrie
