March 10, 2004—SunPower Corp., a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corp., has announced that its A-300 silicon solar cell had been measured at 21.5 percent efficiency by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. This efficiency result is a world record for large-area (five-inch) silicon solar cells.
SunPowers A-300 solar cell was manufactured in the companys Round Rock, Texas pilot line. SunPowers revolutionary A-300 solar cells offer a significant efficiency improvement over currently available cells in the 12 to 15 percent range. Higher-efficiency solar cells provide solar power systems with more power-per-unit area and can provide users with significant cost savings. A-300 solar cells utilize a unique back-side contact design that maximizes working cell area, hides unsightly connection wires and enables high-speed automated module production.
“SunPower’s advancements in developing highly-efficient solar cells and modules are commendable,” said Richard King, team leader for Photovoltaic R&D at the Department of Energy. “The achievement of a 21.5 percent efficient solar cell demonstrates that SunPower’s unique back-side contact technology can be utilized to manufacture cost-effective products that improve the versatility of solar-electric power systems.”
The 125-mm, single-crystal A-300 cell generates three watts of electricity, providing the most efficient cost-per-watt solution in the photovoltaic (PV) industry. These cells can deliver more kilowatts per square meter, making these cells ideal for rooftop systems, communications, building-integrated PV systems and consumer applications.
