European consortium reaches important milestones in solar energy research

[jpak]

http://ec.europa.eu/research/headlines/news/article_07_01_09_en.html

The EU-funded project CrystalClear has greatly improved the processes required for large-scale solar electricity production. CrystalClear has addressed some of the principle factors holding solar research back and has identified promising solutions. The consortium of European companies and research groups has pooled its talents to improve the efficiency of silicon solar cells, demonstrated the sustainability of solar electricity and defined ways to reduce production costs; all integral to meeting EU sustainable energy goals.

CrystalClear set out to devise processes to produce highly efficient, low-cost silicon solar modules, and to date has been particularly successful in doing so. Consortium researchers have been able to increase the conversion efficiency of large-area multicrystalline silicon solar cells to a record level of 18 percent. The ability to produce efficient cells is an important factor in the uptake of solar technology.

Cell efficiency can range from 6 to 30 percent with current commercial standards at approximately 14 to 16 percent. Researchers were able to produce the encouraging results through the design of extremely thin solar cells made from high-purity silicon starting material. They were sure to employ production processes within industry capacities to ensure easy integration into other methods already in use.

Cost being an oft cited prohibitive factor, efficient cells translate into improved cost effective energy solutions. CrystalClear participants carried out detailed cost calculations showing that the technologies now successfully under development can be produced at around €1 per watt of module power, which cuts other current production model costs in half. Consortium experts have drafted a technology roadmap that outlines the steps required to arrive at the relatively inexpensive unit cost.

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[phantom power]

1. That would be nice.

I can't stop myself from pointing out that they haven't produced a product at €1 per watt. They've produced a "technology roadmap that outlines the steps required to arrive at the relatively inexpensive unit cost."