Policy / Systems / Technology

March 7, 2013

 

Sharp's New Solar Cell Achieves World Record 37.7% Conversion Efficiency

Keywords: Environmental Technology Manufacturing industry Renewable Energy University / Research institute 

Sharp Corp., a major Japanese electronics manufacturer, announced on December 5, 2012, that it has developed a triple-junction compound solar cell, which is a stack of three photo-absorption layers. This work was part of the "Research and Development on Innovative Solar Cells" project by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), an agency under Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Sharp also announced that it achieved a new energy conversion efficiency record of 37.7% over the cell area of about one square centimeter.

Currently, crystalline silicon solar cells account for about 80% of the solar cell market and typically have a maximum conversion efficiency of about 20%. The improvement of conversion efficiencies is essential to further the widespread use of solar cells.

This project aims to continue research to develop solar cell modules with a conversion efficiency of more than 40% and at a generating cost of 7 yen (8 U.S. cents) per kilowatt-hour by utilizing new materials and designs, and aims for large-scale commercialization from 2030 onward. However, it is expected that the target year will be moved up, and that such cells will be introduced sooner.

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