Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors







Heifer International

Wikipedia Affiliate Button


Home > News > The LIMA Project: Nanoscaled Photovoltaics in Spain

June 30th, 2010

The LIMA Project: Nanoscaled Photovoltaics in Spain

Abstract:
The words "solar energy" and "Spanish sunshine" are apparently made for each other. Indeed, the research and development community in Spain has established a high profile in this field over the years, of a standard comparable to world leaders. Manufacturing in the 70s, followed by world-class academic research in succeeding decades, lead to highly successful spin-out companies in the 1990s. This attracted multinational solar companies to Spain.

Today, the Spanish research effort continues with the LIMA (Light Interaction with MAtter) European FP7 project.

To put efficiencies in context, work by University of New South Wales in Sydney has lead to silicon textured cells with efficiencies of over 24% reported over a decade ago. This is, in fact, only slightly less than the silicon fundamental efficiency limit of slightly over 25%. And despite this, commercial terrestrial cell efficiencies are typically in the 16% to 17% range under standard test conditions (STC). These are mainly based on omnipresent, abundant and non-toxic silicon. In this context, the relatively low commercial efficiencies achieved are puzzling, being that they are significantly lower than the record. And solar photovoltaic power remains tantalizingly close, and yet more expensive than the canonical 1$/Wp cost often quoted as the economical break-even cost. This suggests that current technologies, as ever, need a fundamental shift to achieve greater efficiencies, and makes new ideas increasingly attractive as time goes by.

Source:
solarnovus.com

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Less is More: Novel Cellulose Structure Requires Fewer Enzymes to Process Biomass to Fuel June 19th, 2013

Sound waves precisely position nanowires June 19th, 2013

Scientists Use Nanotechnology to Increase Thermal Stability of Essential Oils June 19th, 2013

Production of Bioactive Material for Quick Treatment of Bone Damages June 19th, 2013

Academic/Education

CNSE Welcomes Record Number of Students, Majority of Whom are New Yorkers, for Prestigious Summer Internship Program June 12th, 2013

FEI and University of Oklahoma Begin Collaboration Research Agreement for Understanding and Developing Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoirs: Collaboration effort will focus on new methods to classify shales in the economic assessment of “tight” resource plays June 7th, 2013

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz obtains new Collaborative Research Center on "Nanodimensional polymer therapeutics for tumor therapy" June 2nd, 2013

Lorraine University uses Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis to characterize biomolecules for agrichemicals, pharmacology and cosmetics May 28th, 2013

Energy

A Battery Made of Wood? Wood fibers help nano-scale batteries keep their structure June 19th, 2013

Less is More: Novel Cellulose Structure Requires Fewer Enzymes to Process Biomass to Fuel June 19th, 2013

Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" June 17th, 2013

Efficient and inexpensive: Researchers develop catalyst material for fuel cells: Platinum-nickel nano-octahedra save 90 percent platinum June 17th, 2013

Solar/Photovoltaic

Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" June 17th, 2013

Further research on effects of nanomaterials: BASF participates in BMBF research project on safety of nanomaterials: Results allow easier and faster evaluation of nanoparticle behavior June 12th, 2013

Graphene and semiconductor technology together: smaller, cheaper, better June 12th, 2013

Space Solar Power: Key to a Livable Planet Earth June 10th, 2013

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE







  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoTech-Transfer
University Technology Transfer & Patents
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More












ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project








abbigliamento uomo
Computer Accessories
© Copyright 1999-2013 7th Wave, Inc. All Rights Reserved PRIVACY POLICY :: CONTACT US :: STATS :: SITE MAP :: ADVERTISE