Spire unveils world's most efficient concentrated PV solar cell

摘要

Spire has created the most efficient concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar cell the world has ever seen. With a peak efficiency rate of 42.3%, the gallium arsenide cell supplants Sharp's record of 42.1%. The gallium arsenide cell was developed in less than 18 months and is now available to commercial systems providers. CPV is one of the newest forms of solar technology. CPV works by concentrating a large amount of sunlight onto a small photovoltaic surface. Unlike traditional photovoltaic solar panels, CPV modules are not flat. Additionally, concentrated photovoltaic cells are less expensive to produce than traditional photovoltaic modules because the actual solar panel is smaller.