New photocell efficiency record: 44.7%

A team of specialists from the Institute of Solar Energy Systems of the Fraunhofer Society, Soitec, CEA-Leti and the Helmholtz Center (Berlin) created a photocell with a record efficiency of 44.7% ( press release ). Thus, they broke the June Sharp record of 44.4% and their own May achievement of 43.6%.

Like some other multilayer photocells, this chip is designed to work with a concentrator that concentrates the flow of sunlight 297.3 times, that is, the area of ​​the concentrator lenses is about 300 times larger than the area of ​​the photocell. The efficiency of 44.7% relates to a wide spectrum of solar radiation: from ultraviolet to infrared. The energy wavelength of 200-1800 nm is taken up by four layers of the cell.


Energy extraction from waves of different lengths by four layers of the cell. On the vertical axis - external quantum efficiency
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Technical characteristics of the photocell

The researchers believe that their achievement is a significant step towards reducing the cost of solar energy and achieving a psychological level of efficiency of 50%. At this rate, given the competition of many research teams and production concerns, and rapid progress in this area, a 50% mark will surely be taken very soon. In general, an increase in efficiency of 1 point in four months indicates a very high potential of four-layer cells.

Ultra-efficient multi-layer photocells with concentrators (CPV) used to be used only in the space field, where they first of all will find use now. This is good news for spacecraft manufacturers who will be able to collect more energy for the same area of ​​solar cells.

In recent years, CPV cells have gradually been used on Earth. Actually, the above-mentioned startup Soitec , created in 2005, is engaged in the commercialization of this technology.


Experimental installation Soitec