Sharp Develops Concentrator Solar Cell With World's Highest Conversion Efficiency of

[ScienceRocks]

Sharp Develops Concentrator Solar Cell With World's Highest Conversion Efficiency of 43.5%

Sharp Corporation has achieved the world’s highest solar cell conversion efficiency of 43.5% using a concentrator triple-junction compound solar cell. These solar cells are used in a lens-based concentrator system that focuses sunlight on the cells to generate electricity.

Sharp Develops Concentrator Solar Cell With World

 

[flacaltenn]

Cool...

I think what sharp is going for here is not grid-scale solar but PORTABLE solar.

Because of their high conversion efficiency, compound solar cells have been used primarily on space satellites. Sharp’s aim for the future is to apply this latest development success into concentrator photovoltaic power systems that can efficiently generate electricity using small-surface-area solar cells and make them practical for terrestrial use.

So as long as take your portables for a walk everyday -- might not need to charge them. Same for field pumps and maybe even supplemental EV charging.

 

[Old Rocks]

A hopeful development. But a real step from a very small surface area to one measuring in square feet. And manufacturing it at a competative price.

http://www.photonicsonline.com/doc....h-world-s-highest-conversion-efficiency-of-00

Because of their high conversion efficiency, compound solar cells have been used primarily on space satellites. Sharp’s aim for the future is to apply this latest development success into concentrator photovoltaic power systems that can efficiently generate electricity using small-surface-area solar cells and make them practical for terrestrial use.
• *1 As of May 30, 2012, for concentrator solar cells at the research level (based on a survey by Sharp).
• *2 Conversion efficiency confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy (ISE; one of several organizations around the world that officially certifies energy conversion efficiency measurements in solar cells) in April 2012 under a light-concentrating magnification of 306 times (cell surface: approx. 0.167 cm2). 43.5% is the same conversion efficiency achieved by Solar Junction of the United States in March 2011.
• *3 NEDO is one of Japan’s largest public management organizations for promoting research and development as well as for disseminating industrial, energy, and environmental technologies.
• *4 ISE was one of the participating members from the EU side at “NGCPV: A new generation of concentrator photovoltaic cells, modules and systems”. The collaboration is part of the “R&D in Innovative Solar Cells” project.

 

[flacaltenn]

Even tho Spirit and Opportunity provided a wonderful display of power plant lifetime and tolerance to dirt over their deployment -- I THINK those cells were in the range of 28% efficiency or so..

So this still is significant and will fill needs in a host of portable and maintenance challenged applications.