World Efficiency Record is set by Solar Cells - Beyond Fossil Fuel

World Efficiency Record is set by Solar Cells - Beyond Fossil Fuel: "World Efficiency Record is set by Solar Cells - 11/6/08

Everyone wants to stop being dependent on fossil fuels. Alternative sources of energy are clean, but can be expensive and have a poor conversion rate. Researchers at U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have just set a world record in solar cell efficiency. They have been able to transform 40.8 percent of the light that goes through the cell into energy. This is the highest recorded efficiency of any photovoltaic device.

NREL’s Mark Wanlass designed the solar cell and has been awarded with the R$D100 award. The material properties of the mismatched semiconductors allow for superior conversion of sunlight.

The new solar cell uses gallium indium phosphide and gallium indium arsenide to split the solar spectrum into three parts. The three spectrums are absorbed by the cell’s three junctions more efficiently. The new solar cell is extremely thin and light.

These solar cells are designed for space satellites and terrestrial concentrated photovoltaic arrays using mirrors of lenses to focus the sunlight to the solar cells."