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Australia Engineers Set New Solar Energy World Record With 34.5% Sunlight To Energy Efficiency (unsw.edu.au)
An anonymous reader writes: Australian engineers have edged closer to the theoretical limits of sunlight-to-electricity conversion by photovoltaic cells with a device that sets a new world efficiency record. A new solar cell configuration developed by engineers at the University of New South Wales has pushed sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiency to 34.5% -- establishing a new world record for unfocused sunlight and nudging closer to the theoretical limits for such a device. The record was set using a 28-cm2 four-junction mini-module -- embedded in a prism -- that extracts the maximum energy from sunlight. It does this by splitting the incoming rays into four bands, using a hybrid four-junction receiver to squeeze even more electricity from each beam of sunlight.
Bloody good onyaz! Big ups, UNSW! :D
Still, I bet they were just beaming with pleasure, excitement lighting up their faces, coloring everything they said, reflecting their deep satisfaction with the realization of what was originally just a glint in their eyes. Their laser-like focus on area efficiency illuminates just what it takes to blaze through challenges like this; it's not just about brilliance, it's about focus and resolution. Clearly, this was a very bright idea, sourced from a rainbow of possibilities.
[runs away, trailing frightened shadow]
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
This does make for a nice press release...but there are SINGLE junction panels, commercially available, that can do 20% efficient. 3 more junctions is a much more expensive device to manufacture - cheaper to just make the panels bigger.
Another problem is that right now, the wholesale prices for panels are below 50 cents a watt. The inverters are generally more expensive now. Effectively, quad junction panels just mean more watts per panel, which might mean less cost per watt but probably won't, but the major drivers of cost are unaffected.
It's cool, it's just solving the wrong problem. The problem is there's too much sunlight at midday, producing more electricity than people need, and no sunlight when the weather is bad.
a device that sets a new world efficiency record.
Although not intended, the device is slightly venomous and should be approached with an open palm when feeding. its normal operating temperature is in a 51c environment.
A new solar cell configuration developed by engineers at the University of New South Wales has pushed sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiency to 34.5%
while technically true, this was only after it lept off a table and attacked a research graduate it had mistaken for one of the innumerable natural predators along the countryside.
The record was set using a 28-cm2 four-junction mini-module -- embedded in a prism
the prism, paradoxically enough, is extremely venomous however immune to the slightly venomous configuration overall. most of the wales team that installed the device are still recovering from a combination of intense agony and euphoric constipation. see the research study in the bio sci lab called "the prism does what now?"
It does this by splitting the incoming rays into four bands, using a hybrid four-junction receiver
which became territorial during testing and was found to be both predatory as well as bioluminescent. it occupies a classroom on the second floor and to date is consuming around a post doc per month. So remember, that while we now have 34% more energy here which is a huge breakthrough, we must all now add another item to the list of things to check for in boots and under toilet seats. sorry mates.
Good people go to bed earlier.
Alta devices has a record efficiency of 28.8% (not 24%, as quoted in the article) specifically for a single junction solar cell. This cell technically has four junctions, for which I'm not aware of any world records; however, Boeing spectrolab created a five junction cell with the world record for non-concentrated light (38.8%). I'm not aware of the records for spectrum splitting cells, so it's possible that Alta made a spectrum splitting cell with 24% efficiency and that this is the new world record for such a cell, though it's not particularly ground-breaking in terms of impact since it doesn't solve the major problems that make these high efficiency cells so expensive (the triple junction cell still requires an expensive substrate and an expensive process for depositing the films)
,,, why if harnessing wind-power can affect the local climate, why harnessing solar power doesn't affect how long the sun is going to continue to burn?
Anyone who seriously asks this won't even understand layman terms, they'll need neanderthal terms. And that's probably denigrating neanderthals. Ook. Grunt.
Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
So, they run it through a prism... the split the spectrum... would that not be considered 'focused'?
-Unresolved symbol? Byte me!
Since focusing involves making light rays converge and prisms generally make light rays diverge, I'm going to answer no.
Wont the prisms collect dust, and how do you clean an array of prisms?
ACME Prism Polish(tm).
The hard part is training the cartoon coyotes to apply it for you, rather than them converting your installation into a giant, solar, anti-roadrunner death beam.
Maybe one day we'll invent a way of storing the energy for use later in the day.
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