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SunPower Reaches 23.4% Cell Efficiency

May 14, 2008 | 4 Comments

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California, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] SunPower Corporation announced that it has produced a full-scale, five-inch prototype solar cell with an efficiency of 23.4%. This is a world-record for a large area solar cell according to the company.

"This is a step function increase from our 22 percent efficient Gen 2 technology, which has been in mass production since last year."

-- Tom Werner, CEO, SunPower

"This is a step function increase from our 22% efficient Gen 2 technology, which has been in mass production since last year," said Tom Werner, CEO of SunPower. "Credit for this achievement goes to our world-class research and development team led by Dick Swanson and Bill Mulligan, as well as to our talented engineering group."

SunPower has reported improvements of its cell efficiency in the laboratory and in mass production since its first all-back contact solar cell prototype in 2003.

"We are pleased to have demonstrated early success with our Gen 3 technology," said Bill Mulligan, vice president of technology and development at SunPower. "This record efficiency solar cell, which is expected to be commercially available in approximately two years, extends SunPower's leadership position and is a key component of our plan to reduce system cost by 50% by the year 2012."

Solar Energy

4 Reader Comments

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matt-patchell-77581

May 14, 2008

This record-setting benchmark (23.4%!) not only for SunPower but for silicon PV peers as well. The high price of refined silicon has been a driving force behind aggressive R&D and efforts to produce more efficient silicon cells and modules, as witnessed by SunPower's breakthru. What's more, with new silicon refining capacity coming online in the next 1-2 years we can expect the price of the principal raw material dropping significantly. Future looks rosy for SPWR!

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navinchandra-nigam-146608

May 15, 2008

550,000 Mwh from 150Mw works out to a figure more than 0.4 seem to be fantistic.Best wishes and congratulations.

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3 of 4

thomas-roberson-67594

May 16, 2008

I thank the lack of effective action by our congress and senate, to place the needed tools in our hands to change the face of our energy production machine is a crime and should be addressed at the ballet box.....now. We as a nation do not have the grace of time to waste given the changes in the world that will negatively affect the future of our children. Thanks to your efforts there may be time to change the face of energy production methods and make the world a little greener and a safer place.

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jb1010

May 17, 2008

The increase of PV efficiencies is a good thing, by all means. But if the silicon solar industry wanted a maximum energy output from its products they would simply add some optics. Even a simple structure with mirror diagonal walls enables 3 times more energy from each solar cell (www.jxcrystals.com). There are other optical solutions that can can deliver 10, 50 or even 500 times more energy from each cell. In my honest opinion, the current non-concentrated solar panels will never make any impact on world energy supply. The PV companies should work on finding ways to carry more current from their cells as much as they are trying to reach higher efficiencies. www.narec.co.uk and www.day4energy.com are examples of companies that already have cells that have solved this already.

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