Amonix Inc of Seal Beach, CA, USA, which makes utility-scale concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems using III-V multi-junction solar cells, says that it has achieved a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) efficiency rating of 35.9% under recently adopted CPV IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) test conditions of 1000W/m2 and 25°C cell temperature. Data for the rating was generated by an Amonix module under outdoor test at NREL from late February to April of this year.
Amonix says that the latest result is the highest ever independently rated module efficiency for any PV technology, and that this is the first time that NREL has quantified the rating for a concentrator module with the cells at 25°C instead of at operating temperature. Amonix worked with NREL to help mature the measurement process.
In April, Amonix set a module efficiency record of 34.9% at CSOC (concentrator standard operating conditions). Previously, in May 2012, the firm was first to exceed 33% CSOC module efficiency.
"This 35.9% IEC CSTC module efficiency is a direct comparison to PV module efficiencies, which are often reported at IEC standard test conditions," says Amonix's founder & chief technology officer Vahan Garboushian. "With the advent of higher-efficiency cells from companies like Solar Junction, Amonix anticipates achieving considerably higher module efficiencies and breaking our currently standing world records in the very near future," he adds.
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