5/4/2015 3SolarCellEfficiencyRecordsInJust4Days

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3 Solar Cell Efficiency RecordsIn Just 4 DaysMay 1st, 2015 by Smiti Mittal

Improving efficiency of solar photovoltaic cells takes months, sometimes years. The last fewdays, however, have been very interesting as three different companies announced record-breaking efficiencies. Two of the cells even have the same technology.

Trina Solar, one of the leading solar PV modules manufacturers, announced on April 24 that ithad set a new world record for high efficiency p-type multi-crystalline silicon PV modules.Trina Solars Honey Plus multi-crystalline silicon module reached a new module efficiencyrecord of 19.14%. The efficiency was independently confirmed by the National Center ofSupervision and Inspection on Solar Photovoltaic Product Quality (CPVT) in Wuxi, China.

On April27, Germany-based Manz announcedthat it hadachieved 16% efficiency in copperindium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar modules.This efficiency was achieved in commerciallymass-produced solar PV modules. Manzmanaged to transfer the 21.7% world-recordefficiency it had achieved in laboratory cells inSeptember last year. The efficiency of themodules was verified by TUV Rheinland.

On April 28, Taiwan-based TSMC Solarannounced that it achieved efficiency of 16.5% in commercially produced CIGS modules,bettering the Manzs record made the day before. TSMC also improved upon its own previousrecord of 15.7% efficiency, achieved in 2013. The efficiency record for TSMC modules wasverified by TUV SUD.

All three efficiency records seem to be associated with mass-produced solar PV modules andthere remains huge potential to further increase the efficiency. Trina Solar also holds theworld record for efficiency for lab-based multi-crystalline silicon PV modules. That recordcurrently stands at 20.8%.

For CIGS modules, it seems that First Solar and Manz jointly hold the record with 21.7%

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efficiency for modules produced in research labs.

Image Credit: Manz

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Tags: CIGS solar cell efficiency record, Manz, Multi-crystalline Solar Cell EfficiencyRecord, National Center of Supervision and Inspection on Solar Photovoltaic ProductQuality, Solar Cell Efficiency, Solar power, trina solar, TSMC Solar, TV Rheinland, TVSD

About the Author

Smiti Mittal works as a senior solar engineer at Mott MacDonald, a reputedengineering and management consultancy. She has conducted due diligence ofseveral solar PV projects in India and Southeast Asia. She has keen interest inrenewable energy, green buildings, environmental sustainability, and biofuels.She currently resides in New Delhi, India.

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arnenl 3daysago"OnApril27,GermanybasedManzannouncedthatithadachieved16%efficiencyincopperindiumgalliumselenide(CIGS)solarcells"

Oops,thatlinkisdead.Andtherecordwasforamodule,notacell.

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LuigiFreitas 2daysago>arnenlhttp://www.manz.com/media/news...

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MrL0g1c 3daysagoToomanytypes,it'sbewildering:efficiency_chart.jpg(JPEGImage,41902456pixels)

Ithoughtthateconomical18%efficiencypanelswe'rebeingsoldforresidentialuserightnow.Whatarethetopmostcommontypesinresidentialandutilityscalemarkets?

WithaModuleefficiencyof18.5%andacellconversionefficiencyof22%),theHITN285rankshighonthelevelofefficiencyinthemarket.

1

Larmion 2daysago>MrL0g1cResidentialisdominatedbymulticrystallineSi,withasmallermarketshareformonocrystallineSi(called'singlecrystal'inthechart).

Thosetypeshaveabigmajorityoftheutilityscalemarkettoo,butthinfilmcellsmakeastrongshowinghere.FirstSolarisdoingverywellwithitsCdTecells.

CIGSismuchsmaller,butisdoingwellinJapanandaselectfewothermarkets.It'saverypromisingtechnologybecauseofitseasymanufacturing.

Multijunctioncellareextremelyexpensivecellsusedonlyforspacecraftandothernicheapplicationswhereeverysquareinchmatters.They'renotexpectedtoenduponyourroofanytimesoom.SamestoryforGaAs.

The'EmergingPV'lumpstogetheralltechnologieswithoutaproventrackrecord.Quantumdot,organicanddyecellshavelowefficienciesandotherproblems,butcanbeprintedonprettymucheverysurface.Withbetterstabilityandevenlowercost,theymightfindnicheapplications(thinkashirtthatchargesyourphone).Perovskitecellsareextremelypromisingonpaper(highefficiency,lowcost)butdegradeveryquickly.Theymightgofar,butthenagaintheyjustaswellmightnot.

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Reply againtheyjustaswellmightnot.

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zircon 2daysago>LarmionThatwasveryinformative,thanks.I'mcheckingtheNRELefficienciesgraphonaregularbasis,buthavegenerallyassumedalltechtobeequallyviable,justavailableatdifferentpricepoints.

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Larmion 2daysago>zirconYourassumptionofalinearincreaserelationbetweencostandefficiencyisperfectlyvalidinthe1525%efficiencyrangewherethemassmarketpaneltechnologies(thinfilmandSi)are.

Asyoustartgoinghigherthan25%ish,youneedengineeringtricksthatarestillhorriblyexpensive(thinkstackingmaterialswithdifferentbandgapsandconcentratinglenses).Costsgoupmuch,muchfasterthanefficienciesbecauseofthat.

Inthelowerend(saysub15%)ofthemarket,youhavetechnologiesplaguedbyaveryshortlifespanandatotallackofmanufacturingexpertise.

Theoneexceptiontomyruleofthumbisperovskite.Thathasenteredthe1525%rangelongbeforebecomingastable,maturetechnology.Watchthatone.

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JamesWimberley 3daysagoIt'sstrikingthatTrina'sproductionmoduleratingof19.14%foraPERCpolysiliconmoduleissoclosetoitspreproductionlabrecordof20.8%:only1.66%lower.ThegapfortheCIGSpeopleismuchwider.Wemaysee20%polymodulesinproductionbeforetheyearisout,butitwillbeextraordinarilydifficulttogosignificantlyhigherthanthat.IIRCthelabrecordforapolycellhasbeenstuckat23%forsometime.

Furtherprogresswillprobablyrequiretheradicallynewtechnologythebigmakersaresoreluctanttoplungeinto,forinstanceperovskiteonsilicontandemcells.WatchoutforannouncememetsfromsmartminnowslikeOxfordPhotovoltaicsandDyesol.

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BtotheT 2daysagoSolar'sgonnabeawinnerprettysoononceitcanhit35cents/pW(I'dliketoseeCIGS,perovskite,orCZTSmakea3%leap)andwegotthePowerwalltoboot.I'vegottaadmitthingsareontheupnupformyoutlookfor2016,andit'smuchneededtiming.

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Rita 2daysago>BtotheTIf/whenmoduleshit25%efficiency,itwillbeoverFFifthepricepointiscorrect.:))

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