SANYO Electric Achieves 22% Solar Cell Efficiency in the Laboratory

[jpak]

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsASTE15.htm

SANYO Electric has broken its own record for what the company says is the world’s highest energy conversion efficiency in practical sized (100 cm2 or more) crystalline silicon-type solar cells, by achieving an efficiency of 22% at the research level for its proprietary HIT solar photovoltaic cells. The previous highest efficiency had been 21.8%.

Evaluation results have been certified by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), an energy conversion efficiency public certification body.

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he company's aim is to increase the energy conversion efficiency of mass-produced HIT solar cells to over 22% by FY2010.

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The company is currently investing over 40 billion Yen to increase in production capacity to over 600MW (per year) by FY2010.

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[aquart]

1. Yen?

So this is another patent America will not hold. How nice.

[TheWraith]

2. A lot of things are possible in the lab. Call me when they successfully mass produce it.

I won't be holding my breath. Mass-produced solar cells haven't increased significantly in efficiency in decades.

[jpak]

3. Ummm Sunpower already has a *mass produced* 22% efficient PV module on the market

http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=214653

Sorry to burst that bubble...

[TheWraith]

4. Want to show where you can actually get one?

Producing a small run for a trade show, and actually commercializing something, are two different things.

[jpak]

5. Ummm - get yer SPR-315 panel here 22% efficient

http://sunpowercorp.com/homeowners/panels.html