By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
First Solar Sets CdTe Module Efficiency World Record, Launches Series 3 Black Module
16.1 Percent Total Area Efficiency Module Confirmed by NREL;
Enhanced Series 3 Module Platform Certified for Desert Conditions & Field Durability;
Production Module Efficiency Roadmap Accelerated and Extended to 16.4-17.1 Percent for 2017
TEMPE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– First Solar, Inc. (NAS: FSLR) today announced it set a new world record for cadmium-telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) module conversion efficiency, achieving a record 16.1 percent total area module efficiency in tests confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The new record is a substantial increase over the prior record of 14.4 percent efficiency, which the Company set in January 2012. Separately, First Solar also set a record for CdTe open circuit voltage (VOC), a critical parameter for PV performance, reaching 903.2 millivolts (mV) in NREL-certified testing. This new record marks the first substantial increase in CdTe VOC in over a decade of international R&D. The new records come just six weeks after First Solar announced a new world record for CdTe solar cell efficiency of 18.7 percent.
First Solar‘s R&D team in Perrysburg, Ohio, set a new world record for CdTe module conversion efficiency, achieving 16.1 percent in tests confirmed by NREL. (Photo: Business Wire)
Transferring its success in the R&D lab to its commercial modules, First Solar also launched a new evolution of its proven Series 3 thin-film PV module platform, the Series 3 BlackTM, which incorporates First Solar‘s latest advances in conversion efficiency as well as additional features to enhance its performance in utility-scale power plants. The all-black module’s change in appearance results from the use of an advanced, all-black edge seal technology combined with an innovative encapsulation material that further enhances its field durability and demonstrates improvements in accelerated life testing results.
The Series 3 Black’s performance in a wide range of operating environments is further validated by its new IEC 60068-2-68 “sand and dust test” certification, which measures durability in harsh desert environments characterized by blowing abrasive sand. The certification complements existing IEC salt mist and ammonia certifications to provide a comprehensive range of independent testing that reflects world-class durability …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance