news digest ♦ Solar
the most durable product, the investor trying to justify the investment of a billion dollars, and the insurance companies wanting to know how to set rates. Service predictions, by site around the world, looking 20 or 30 years out, are quite challenging experiments to design.
“To win the Cherry Award is a deep honour,” Kurtz said. “A lot of people who are very deserving have been nominated, so I feel very honoured.”
Kurtz also conducted groundbreaking work on dilute nitrides and on measuring the individual junctions of a series of connected solar cells. At the award ceremony, presenters said, “She has proven to the world high efficiency PV can be done.”
Last year, she helped form the International PV Quality Assurance Task Force to develop comparative test standards for PV modules. She is recognized worldwide as an expert on Concentrating PV technology and has received numerous awards both as an individual and as part of a team.
“Sarah’s contributions to solar science and technology research can’t be overstated,” NREL’s Director, Dan Arvizu said. “NREL is proud to have two consecutive winners of the Cherry Award, and four altogether, fo rone of the most important awards in the photovoltaic field. Sarah’s impact on solar energy has been profound, and it’s wonderful to see her recognised.”
The Cherry Award is named in honour of William R. Cherry, a founder of the photovoltaic community. In the 1950s, he was instrumental in establishing solar cells as the ideal power source for space satellites and for recognizing, advocating, and nurturing the use of photovoltaic systems for terrestrial applications. The William R. Cherry award was instituted in 1980, shortly after his death. The purpose of the award is to recognise individual engineers or scientists who devoted a part of their professional life to the advancement of the science and technology of photovoltaic energy conversion.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
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www.compoundsemiconductor.net July 2012
Alta Devices discloses its secrets on GaAs solar cell technology
The firm’s flexible sheets of high efficiency gallium arsenide based solar cells enable adaptable form factors
At last week’s IEEE Photovoltaics Specialists Conference (PVSC), Alta Devices disclosed details of key technologies that enabled its latest record module result.
Alta described how its thin film solar cells are interconnected into flexible sheets creating a new class of solar material that leverages the company’s record–setting high efficiency GaAs solar cell technology. These breakthroughs enable flexible solar material that can be formed into different shapes and sizes, making possible new and unique solar applications.
“Up until now, the applications of relatively high efficiency solar have been constrained to those that utilise large and heavy glass plates,” said Chris Norris, Alta president and CEO. “But the technology being disclosed this week has the potential to change both the applications and economics of solar.”
Alta’s solar material can be used differently from those that have been available; it allows meaningful power production anywhere the sun is shining. This results directly from the high efficiency of Alta’s material combined with its thin and flexible nature.
It can be deployed in many new kinds of solar applications including: electric vehicles, aircraft and unmanned drones, portable power, roof tiles and other building-integrated uses, and more. Because of the characteristics of Alta’s solar technology, the high cost of an entire solar energy system is reduced.
“When you are able to use solar in nearly any form, the applications broaden and the system complexity and cost are dramatically reduced,” explained Norris, “And, ultimately, both the economic returns and human benefits increase.”
At the PVSC, Laila Mattos presented how Alta was
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