Alta Devices, a development stage company focused on enhancing the production capabilities of high efficiency solar photovoltaic (PV) applications, announced that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has verified the company’s new solar panel to have 23.5% efficiency.
This highest solar efficiency signifies the company’s advancement towards its goal to develop solar PV panels that are competitive with fossil fuels without subsidies.
The company will now focus on the next step, which is commercialization of its PV technology. Alta Devices has chosen gallium arsenide (GaAs) for its panels as it provides high efficiency and also has the capability to produce power in low light and at high temperatures. Thus, the panels will have extremely higher energy density compared to other technologies. The company also focuses on varying the production economics of solar solutions.
Since manufacturing of GaAs is too expensive, Alta Devices has introduced a manufacturing technique that produces very thin GaAs layers. The use of very thin devices with highest energy density lowers the material cost required in Alta Devices’ panels. Thus, the costs of an overall solar system based on the company’s technology can be significantly minimized.
The potential applications of thin and flexible PV film from Alta Devices include transportation, consumer and military products as well as roof and building materials.