90% Efficient Solar Panel

[capthook]

Yes.  That link mixes it's numbers.

' In tests, the experimental solar cells demonstrated over 90 percent quantum efficiency, compared with 25 percent for the best silicon solar cells. '

It is comparing a 90% quantum efficiency with an overall 25% efficiency.

quantum efficiency = basically how many electrons are knocked loose by a light source/photon.  The higher the better.  80%+ or so is basically avg.

cell efficiency (or Energy conversion efficiency) = subtracting out all losses in the system when harvesting the energy.

'The losses of a solar cell may be broken down into reflectance losses, thermodynamic efficiency, recombination losses and resistive electrical loss. The overall efficiency is the product of each of these individual losses.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_Efficiency_of_a_solar_cell

http://pvcdrom.pveducation.org/CELLOPER/QUANTUM.HTM

So an increase of QE from 80% to 90% is a worthy accomplishment, the cell efficiency would still be far below 50%.

[mscoffman]

Yes.  That link mixes it's numbers.

' In tests, the experimental solar cells demonstrated over 90 percent quantum efficiency, compared with 25 percent for the best silicon solar cells. '

Well that is hard to say...They had the optical photon antenna idea
proved for a number of years. Now, they have the photon antenna as
a silicon wire mass produced in a plastic substrate base idea working...
they have yet to get the "how to rectify optical photon freq. to an electrical
signal working and aligned with the antennas, and/or how to step up
the rectified voltage to a useful level based in a plastic substrate idea
working yet. 

If and when they do, I suspect their results will come in somewhat better
then 50% eff. level.

:S:MarkSCoffman

[capthook]

If and when they do, I suspect their results will come in somewhat better
then 50% eff. level.

Due to the losses mentioned in my last post...
'The losses of a solar cell may be broken down into reflectance losses, thermodynamic efficiency, recombination losses and resistive electrical loss. The overall efficiency is the product of each of these individual losses.'


... the theoretical maximum efficiency for a solar cell is ~42%.
This limit has been achieved via multi-junction cells in the laboratory (very $$).
While things like terminal velocity or the constant of gravity are 'law', *maybe* someday this 42% limit may be surpassed - might *not* be a 'law' - but according to any currently known science it is.

[triffid]

test

[triffid]

The following site has an article where the inventor cut the costs of production of his A panels in half.Lost control of his company and the new management decided not to pass on the savings to the public.So what? You can cut the cost by 90% only to have the management keep all the savings?Seems like to me GREED keeps rearing its ugly head.Triffid
http://www.thegreenerhome.com/eblog/whatever-happened-to-low-cost-solar-power/