Thin-film solar panel technology took another step forward this week, with US manufacturer United Solar announcing it has achieved a world record efficiency of 16.3 percent for its recently patented Nano-Crystalline thin-film silicon solar cells.
Uni-Solar also holds the previous record of 15.4 percent for thin-film efficiency, which was confirmed by the USA’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The company’s new record is yet to be verified by the NREL.
The company says it attained a small-area (0.25 cm2) initial cell efficiency of 16.3% using a triple-junction structure incorporating the Nano-Crystalline silicon technology.
The Nano-Crystalline silicon used in Uni-Solar’s new cells differs from the polycrystalline silicon used to make many standard solar panels in the grain size of the crystals. Uni-Solar says the advantage of Nano-Crystalline technology is the material is easier to fabricate than polysilicon, plus it can absorb more red and infrared light, making it a more efficient converter of the sun’s energy.
"This represents another substantial milestone for the company as we continue to develop our technology through a focus on conversion efficiency," said Jay Knoll, Interim President of Energy Conversion Devices, United Solar’s parent company. "Our core technology can now reach conversion efficiencies of 16.3% in the lab, an increase from 15.4%, leading the way in thin-film silicon technology development."
Dr. Subhendu Guha, Chairman of United Solar will showcase the new thin-film breakthrough at the Intersolar North America Conference in San Francisco at the session on "Thin-Film – Technological Advancements."
Uni-Solar is the world’s largest producer of flexible solar panels; with a 25 year history in the sector. The company was recently selected to supply 565kW of solar laminates for the solar power system on the roof of the Tianjin West Railway Station in Tianjin, P.R. China and in April, announced the completion of a 1.1 megawatt solar power system on the rooftop of a logistics center in Marignane, France.
