Stacked solar cells can handle energy of 70,000 suns
1 min read
North Carolina State University researchers have found a way to improve the connections between stacked solar cells, a breakthrough which they believe could improve the overall efficiency and lower the cost of future solar energy devices.
"We have discovered that by inserting a very thin film of gallium arsenide into the connecting junction of stacked cells, we can virtually eliminate voltage loss without blocking any of the solar energy," explained Dr Salah Bedair, a professor of electrical engineering at NC State.
The discovery is important because it means solar cell manufacturers can create stacked solar cells that can handle high intensity solar energies without losing voltage at the connecting junctions, potentially improving conversion efficiency.
"Now we have created a connecting junction that loses almost no voltage, even when the stacked solar cell is exposed to 70,000 suns of solar energy," Bedair continued. "And that is more than sufficient for practical purposes, since concentrating lenses are unlikely to create more than 4,000 or 5,000 suns worth of energy.
"This should reduce overall costs for the energy industry because, rather than creating large, expensive solar cells, you can use much smaller cells that produce just as much electricity by absorbing intensified solar energy from concentrating lenses. And concentrating lenses are relatively inexpensive."
