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Another day, another reason why fossil fuels are toast. Persistent innovation in the global solar industry has already sent the conversion efficiency of solar cells through the roof over the past 25 years, and there’s plenty more where that came from. Last week two more world efficiency records were set, one for solar modules made with triple III-V germanium cells, and the other for modules made with tandem perovskite-silicon cells.
A World Record For Triple III-V Germanium Solar Modules
For those of you new to the topic, solar modules are the intermediate step between solar cells and solar panels. Typically, solar modules are comprised of 60-72 connected cells, though some use much less. Regardless of the number of cells, those connections can have a significant impact on the conversion efficiency of the finished module, with a ripple effect into the efficiency of the finished solar panel.
CleanTechnica took note of the new germanium solar record over the weekend, consisting of a 34.2% conversion efficiency reported by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany, for a module measuring 833 square centimeters made up of triple III-V germanium cells.
