I'm just pleased to have multiple groups producing higher than 40% efficiency!
The way I look at it, 40% efficiency is 4 times as good as 10%. A similarly dramatic increase in efficiency over 40% (i.e. 160% efficency) is
impossible. 100% efficiency is only 2.5 times as good as 40%, and it too is probably impossible. (We're entering the realm of diminishing returns; and that's good! It shows just how far we've come in only a few years.)
…
"This latest record asserts Spectrolab's leadership position in high efficiency multijunction solar cells and brings the industry one step closer to achieving affordable solar electricity," said David Lillington, president of Spectrolab. "This cell is an advanced version of our lattice-matched cell technology that will be incorporated quickly and successfully into our production line. This milestone underscores our emphasis on realizing the highest efficiency cells in high-volume production."
…
Spectrolab is the world's leading supplier of multi-junction photovoltaic solar cells, solar panels, searchlights and solar simulators and recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Spectrolab products have powered satellites since 1958 and have contributed to the on-orbit success of numerous commercial, national security and civil space missions. Spectrolab's technological advancements have driven space solar cell efficiencies to more than 28 percent. Today, Spectrolab cells power 60 percent of all satellites orbiting the Earth, as well as the International Space Station. Spectrolab has made significant investments to meet the increasing demand of the terrestrial concentrator photovoltaic industry and expects to have an annual capacity of 300 megawatts when those investments are realized in 2010.
…
I want even
higher volume production! (Nanosolar claims to be able to produce 1GW/year with a single machine.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9972306-54.html )
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