Looks like SolFocus is about to make their move.

[skids]

St. Louis, Missouri The Boeing Company signed a 12-month contract in which its Spectrolab subsidiary, which supplies high-efficiency space solar cells and panels, will provide 600,000 solar concentrator cells to SolFocus, Inc., a Palo Alto, California-based renewable energy company that is developing terrestrial applications for the space technology.

SolFocus intends to incorporate the cells into concentrator photovoltaic systems for commercial, industrial and utility-scale solar power plants.

Spectrolab's 600,000 solar concentrator cells will be capable of generating more than 10 megawatts (MW) of electricity. With the average solar cell efficiency above 35% at concentration, Spectrolab's concentrator photovoltaic cells generate electricity at a rate that can be more economical than electricity generated from conventional, flat-panel photovoltaic systems.

http://renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story/?id=45894

You don't buy 600,000 cells over a 12 month period for R&D purposes, and you don't buy them to stuff them in a warehouse. It looks like next year SolFocus will join MicroPV and Stellaris in actually tendering a product for sale. The rest of the companies (listed here) better get a move on.

[Dogmudgeon]

1. I have a *physics* question (almost)

(Ooh, ooh, Mr. Kotter!) :)

I thought that solar thermal was more efficient and had a much lower cost than solar PV (photovoltaic). Are these systems for proof-of-concept, or is PV now more efficient than thermal?

--p!

[skids]

3. Sorry for the late reply.

I just updated my dkos diary here.

Solar thermal and CPV are neck and neck (along with thermophotovoltaics and thermoacoustics -- quantum well thermoelectrics may bring them into the race too.)

Normal unconcentrated PV is way behind thermal, but once concentrated special cells like those made at Spectrolab can be extremely efficient.

[Javaman]

2. Do you know which of these companies are listed on the market?

thanks. :)