GT Solar monocast silicon material achieves record for average cell efficiency testing

MERRIMACK, USA: GT Solar International Inc. announced that researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have demonstrated average cell efficiencies of 18.8 percent with highest efficiencies exceeding 19 percent on monocast silicon material grown in GT’s advanced ingot casting furnace.

“The results of our recent cell efficiency tests using monocast material provided by GT are well above the best large-area, screen-printed monocast material reported by anyone to date. It is a new record,” said Dr Ajeet Rohatgi, Regents Professor and director of Georgia Institute of Technology’s Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and Education. “These very exciting results demonstrate possible future potential cell efficiency gains PV manufacturers might achieve using monocast material and today’s advanced low-cost cell technologies.”

“The efficiency results announced by Dr. Rohatgi’s team on cells produced with our monocast material are very satisfying,” said Tom Gutierrez, president and CEO of GT Solar. “Our advanced technology team and material scientists have been focused on balancing casting furnace architecture with refined process techniques to produce material that demonstrates near monocrystalline silicon performance and leverages the low cost advantages of multicrystalline production. These recent results indicate we are making great progress in achieving this goal and we fully expect to offer this for commercial availability later in the year.”

GT continues to develop advanced crystallization growth technology that improves ingot quality and delivers value to its customers. When fully commercialized, the monocast crystalline growth technology will help PV manufacturers lower their costs and make solar technology more cost competitive with other forms of energy.