Spire produces world’s most efficient large area concentrator solar cell

BEDFORD, USA: Spire Corp. announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Spire Semiconductor, LLC, has matched the current efficiency record for a concentrator solar cell. The record efficiency is available on a production ready cell with a photo area of 1.0 cm2.

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) measured the efficiency of 41 percent at 500x suns concentrated sunlight. Spire Semiconductor began working with NREL under an 18-month, $3.7 million cost share subcontract in early-2009. The goal is to develop a triple junction, gallium arsenide (GaAs), 42.5 percent conversion efficient “Triathlon” concentrator cell for concentrator photovoltaic systems.

“This is truly an achievement,” said Roger G. Little, chairman and CEO of Spire. “We have experienced continuous improvement in our proprietary cell processing design technology throughout the NREL contract. We are excited to have matched the current world record efficiency, and we have nearly four months remaining under the subcontract to surpass this level and achieve the target 42.5 percent efficiency. A more efficient concentrator solar cell will provide a lower cost and more reliable source of solar generated electricity.”