Semprius’ 35.5 Percent Efficiency Sets New Record for Commercially Available Solar Modules
DURHAM, N.C. (PRWEB) September 26, 2013 -- Semprius, Inc., an innovator in high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) solar modules, has set a new record for mass-produced photovoltaic module efficiency, reaching 35.5 percent at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC), as confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Germany. This efficiency result significantly exceeds Semprius’ previous record of 33.9 percent, announced in January 2012.
The record module was produced on the production line at Semprius’ new manufacturing facility, located in Henderson, N.C. The module incorporates standard production techniques and materials, including state-of-the-art epitaxial wafers provided by Solar Junction, an important Semprius partner. At over 35 percent, 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.
“We are particularly pleased that we were able to produce this new record on our pilot production line just months after opening the facility,” said Joe Carr, Chief Executive Officer at Semprius. “This is a testament not only to our R&D and manufacturing teams, but also to our production process which is robust and scalable. 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 percent commercial module on its production line, Semprius also recently built an R&D demonstration module that achieved an efficiency of 37.1 percent at CSTC.
“Our R&D team continues to raise the bar for solar module efficiency as it executes against our product roadmap,” said Scott Burroughs, vice president of Technology at Semprius. “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’ technology is ideally suited for the world’s sunniest regions, where its superior high-temperature performance and affordable 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 percent more energy than equivalent, conventional fixed-tilt photovoltaic systems.
About Semprius
Semprius, Inc. holds the record for commercial solar module efficiency, reaching 35.5% percent. Using the world’s smallest commercial solar cells and applying state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, Semprius is leading the next generation of cost-competitive, sustainable solar electricity. Semprius was named to MIT Technology Review’s 2013 http://www..technologyreview.com/tr50/2013/ [50 Disruptive Companies List __title__ ], an annual list of the world’s most innovative technology companies. Semprius’ headquarters and production facilities are located in North Carolina, USA. For more information, please visit http://www.semprius.com.
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Press Contact
Russ Kanjorski, Semprius
(919) 433-9977; russ.kanjorski(at)semprius.com
Russell Kanjorski, [email protected], http://www.semprius.com, +1 919-433-9977, [email protected]
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