Cdte Solar Panel Efficiency

First solar hits record 22 1 conversion efficiency for cdte solar cell 4 about a year ago first solar crushed the conversion efficiency mark for cadmium telluride with a world record 21 5.

Cdte solar panel efficiency.

With efficiencies exceeding 20 measured in the laboratory there may be a continuing place for high efficiency cigs panels in the general solar panel market. In august 2014 first solar announced a device with 21 1 conversion efficiency. In 2014 the record module efficiency was also raised by first solar from 16 1 up to 17 0. Based on first solar s proven cdte technology series 6 retains all of the performance and reliability advantages featuring premium components and globally consistent high quality manufacture.

Cdte is a direct bandgap material with an energy gap of 1 5 ev and an absorption co efficient around 104 cm 1 in the visible region which means that a layer thickness of a few micrometers is sufficient to absorb 90 of the incident photons. Cigs cells also use the toxic chemical cadmium. Recent improvements have matched the efficiency of multicrystalline silicon while maintaining cost leadership. The united states is the leader in cadmium telluride cdte photovoltaic pv manufacturing and nrel has been at the forefront of research and development in this area.

Another nine are from first solar the arizona company that is the market leader for the production and sale of cdte thin film solar panels. Learn about our component and structure partners. Due to the high absorption rate of sunlight and bandgap energy at around 1 45 defined ev which is closely near the ideal solar spectrum wavelength it has much better efficiency. Cdte thin film solar cells can be manufactured quickly and inexpensively providing a lower cost alternative to conventional silicon based technologies.

Drawbacks of cadmium telluride photovoltaics. Kaushal patel september 21 2018 april 13 2020 solar panel solar panel efficiency solar panel lifespan amorphous silicon thin film solar panels efficiency and lifespan cdte thin film solar panels efficiency and lifespan cigs thin film solar panels efficiency and lifespan dye sensitize solar panel efficiency and lifespan. Cdte is an ideal absorber material for high efficiency low cost thin film polycrystalline solar cells. The new paper reports a cell efficiency of 20 8 representing a crossing point for the new group v technology relative to historic copper technology.

However cdte panels have a higher percentage of cadmium and cigs cells are a relatively responsible thin film option for the environment. Additionally cdte solar cells require less energy to produce than silicon based solar cells.