NREL Scientists Achieve Solar Cell Efficiency 27%

 

Solar Cell Efficiency

This post is related to research done by scientists of NREL on solar cell efficiency is given. The US department of national renewable energy laboratory (NREL) research on solar cell efficiency and squeeze some extra efficiency through careful design of solar cell.

• After computational and experiment studies, scientists of NREL grew a gallium arsenide (GaAs) heterojunction solar cell using dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy (D-HVPE) with a certified efficiency of 27%. 
• This is highest ever efficiency of III – V solar cells. 
• The III – V solar cell derive its name from the material used to make them are positioned on the periodic table of elements. 
• It widely used power space faring technologies. 
• The D HVPE solar cell offers lower cost as compared to incumbent techniques.

How to achieve solar cell efficiency 27%?

In this research paper, improving the performance of solar cell via optimization of doping level and band gap of a device called the emitter to minimize the impact of defect on device efficiency. It uses heterojunctions such as silicon, cadmium telluride or perovskites.

• Finally, the higher efficiency is achieved by heterojunction structure and careful design of emitter properties. 
• However, it will not affect the concentration. The solar cell depends on emitter layer of gallium indium arsenide phosphate (GaInAsP) along with the GaAs base layer. 
• These two layers make up the heterojunction. 
• The zinc doping density and bandgap of emitter layer which depends upon relative concentrations of gallium, indium, arsenic and phosphorus during layer growth affects cell efficiency. 
• The rear heterojunction solar cell that served as baseline used in emitter which comprised GaInP, has reported efficiency of 26%. 
• The solar cell efficiency can be increased up to 27% by reducing the doping in the emitter and changing its composition from GaInP to the lower bandgap GaInAsP. 
• This research paper , “Modeling and Design of III-V Heterojunction Solar Cells for Enhanced Performance,” was co-authored by John Simon, Myles Steiner, and Aaron Ptak, all of whom are with NREL.

Reference: NREL

 

 

You may also like to read these articles

Types of Solar Glass

Compare EV Petrol Vehicles

Waste to Energy Subsidy

Audio Frequency Transformer

Importance of Load Factor and Diversity Factor

 

Frequent Asked Questions

Write full form of DHVPE solar cell

• DHVPE – Dynamic Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy

Which technique is used in DHVPE solar cell

• Single junction GaAS cell.

How to improve performance of solar cell?

• Optimization of doping and bandgap of device

Write full form of GaInAsP

• GaInAsP - Gallium Indium Arsenide Phosphide