This will certainly dominate thehigh end part of the market pretty quickly and certainly shows what ispossible. I wish they would define whatpart of the spectrum is utilized and the energy gain achieved so that one cananticipate other applications better.
The industry continues to bedynamic and we are seeing massive build outs of utility sized operations.
What is still needed is anotherdecade of earth bound operating history that results in financial comparablesthat are trustworthy. As in the windbusiness which has earned out the time already, you can not buy time.
Boeing to mass-produce record-breaking 39.2 percent efficiency solarcell
By DarrenQuick
17:59 November 24, 2010
When it comes to solar cells, everyone is chasing the highest conversionefficiency. Although we’ve seen conversion efficiencies of over 40 percent achieved with multi-junction solarcells in lab environments, Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab is bringing this kindof efficiency to mass production with the announcement of its C3MJ+ solar cellswhich boast an average conversion efficiency of 39.2 percent.
As far back as 2006 Spectrolab was achieving conversion efficienciesof over 40percent in the lab with its high-efficiency multi-junctionconcentrator solar cells and it reached a peakof 41.6 percent with a test cell last year, setting a new world record. Thecompany’s newest terrestrial concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cell, called theC3MJ+, uses essentially the same technology as its record breaking test celland follows on from its C3MJ solar cell in production since mid-2009 whichboasts a conversion efficiency of 38.5 percent. The C3MJ+ solar cells
"Given the new cells' close similarity to our existing productioncells, we believe that our current C3MJ customers will be able to easilyupgrade for more efficiency," said Russ Jones, Spectrolab director of CPVBusiness Development.
Spectrolab claimsthe title of the world’s leading supplier of solar cells for satellites withits cells supplying power to around 60 percent of satellites currently inorbit, as well as the International Space Station. Boeing hopes to transferthat success to the terrestrial solar cell market with the new high-efficiencysolar cells that are expected to be available from January. And it won’t beresting on its laurels. It expects Spectrolab will achieve a 40 percent averageproduction efficiency for terrestrial solar cells in 2011.
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