Germany: Freiburger Scientists Break Solar Cell Efficiency World Record

[cprise]

Scientists at Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg, Germany are claiming a world record by recently achieving a 20.3% efficiency rate for a multicrystalline solar cell. Fraunhofer ISE says that over 55% of all solar cells throughout the world are produced from multicrystalline silicon.

After two years of work, a doctoral candidate in Stefan Glunz's group on high-efficiency silicon cells, Oliver Schultz, has successfully developed a process which allows the problematic defects to be partially "deactivated".

"The trick is to choose temperatures during the solar cell production process such that the electrical properties of the multicrystalline silicon are improved and a high-efficiency solar cell structure is built up at the same time", explained Oliver Schultz.

more

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsEUTE14.htm


This means solar electric power may soon become quite inexpensive. :)

[tridim]

1. Better cut that research funding quick monkeyboy

or your oil buddies might get pissed.

I hear the real advances in solar power are coming soon via nanotechnology.

[htuttle]

2. Does the Bible mention anything about...

...the efficiency rate of multicrystalline solar cells?

No? Not even in Leviticus?

Darn. Looks like there might be some shortcomings in the our science ciricula...

[Massacure]

3. This is in Germany

Bush already pissed them off, remember?