Semprius Inc of Durham, NC, USA, which designs and makes high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) solar modules, has raised its own world record for mass-produced photovoltaic module efficiency from 33.9% (announced in January 2012) to 35.5% at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC), as confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Germany.
Made on the production line at Semprius’ new manufacturing facility in Henderson, NC, the record module incorporates standard production techniques and materials, including epitaxial wafers provided by partner Solar Junction Corp of San Jose, CA, USA, which makes III-V multi-junction solar cells for CPV based on dilute-nitride materials. At over 35%, Semprius modules are the highest efficiency of any commercially available product in the PV industry – two to three times more efficient than conventional photovoltaic modules and significantly higher than other commercially available HCPV modules, it is claimed.
“We were able to produce this new record on our pilot-production line just months after opening the facility,” says CEO Joe Carr. “This is a testament not only to our R&D and manufacturing teams, but also to our production process, which is robust and scalable,” he adds. “We are now focused on continuing to ramp up production capacities to deliver increasing volumes of these high-performance, high-efficiency modules globally.”
In addition to producing a 35.5% commercial module on its production line, Semprius also recently built an R&D demonstration module that achieved an efficiency of 37.1% at CSTC.
“Our R&D team continues to raise the bar for solar module efficiency as it executes against our product roadmap,” says VP of technology Scott Burroughs. “We have an extensive program of efficiency improvements and cost reductions over the next several years that will allow us to continue to improve performance and drive down the cost of solar energy.”
Over the past 18 months, Semprius has deployed its modules with strategic customers in eight countries around the world.
Semprius says that its technology is suited to the world’s sunniest regions, where its high-temperature performance and dual-axis tracking enable high energy production yields throughout the day. In sunny locations like the US Southwest, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Chile, Semprius-based systems can deliver up to 30% more energy than equivalent, conventional fixed-tilt photovoltaic systems, the firm reckons.
