Sharp shows tandem solar module with record 33.66% efficiency
Sharp is claiming the world’s highest conversion efficiency of 33.66% in a lightweight stacked solar cell module.
Sharp worked on the Research and Development Project for Mobile Solar Cells sponsored by NEDO in Japan on a tandem double-junction solar cell module and a silicon solar cell module.
The tandem 31.5W module uses a double-junction structure rather than three layers with indium/gallium/phosphide as the top layer and gallium arsenide as the bottom layer. The tandem double-junction cell in the top layer has been designed to achieve high efficiency even in a thin layer and improve light transmittance to the bottom layer, making it possible to efficiently convert light of a variety of wavelengths into energy. The thickness of the tandem double-junction cells can be reduced to less than one-third that of conventional triple-junction cells, which is expected to reduce material costs.
The module has an area of 775 cm2 and Sharp sees this being used for electric vehicles and aircraft.
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The prototype solar cell module has achieved high efficiency by efficiently converting light of various wavelengths into energy by a new structure which has compound two-junction solar cells on the top layer and silicon solar cells on the bottom layer. Additionally, the thickness of the tandem double-junction solar cells can be reduced to less than one-third that of conventional triple-junction solar cells, reducing material costs.
The efficiency figure was confirmed by AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) in Japan, one of the world’s official measurement agencies for solar cells. This breaks the current world record of 32.65%, which Sharp achieved under a NEDO project in 2022.
Sharp plans to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of solar photovoltaic modules with a view to installing them in electric vehicles and mobile equipment as well as in the aerospace and aviation fields.
The module is on display at Sharp Tech Days in Japan this weekend.
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