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Home > News > German Researchers Crack 20% Thin Film Solar Cell Efficiency Ceiling

May 7th, 2010

German Researchers Crack 20% Thin Film Solar Cell Efficiency Ceiling

Abstract:
A team of German researchers has nudged aside a U.S. record for thin film solar efficiency, previously held by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory at 19.9%. The new German solar conversion efficiency record of 20.1% is for CIGS thin film solar technology, which is based on a compound of copper, indium, gallium, and selenium. According to a report in Electro IQ, the team from the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research achieved the result in laboratory tests, using a co-evaporation process that is scalable to commercial production - at least in theory.

Meanwhile, a U.S.-Korean research team based at Oregon State University is on to a new low cost process for manufacturing thin film photovoltaic cells based on a variant of CIGS, copper indium diselenide (CIS). Put the two together and we may be taking yet another step forward in making sustainable solar energy cost-competitive with fossil fuels.

Source:
cleantechnica.com

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