Thin-Film Solar Panels Hit New Efficiency Record

Solar projects have started gaining popularity over the last decade. Black silicon, 3D panels and solar paint are only some of the innovations launched to help people and companies ditch fossil fuel usage and become more environmentally friendly.

Despite of their awesome features, most of these revolutionary findings are still far from being efficient enough to make a difference.

However, even in this context, First Solar, one of the most prestigious companies operating in the renewable sector, has recently announced a new efficiency record for their thin-film PV panels, made of cadmium-telluride.

For the entire surface of the panel, the team of experts has succeeded in obtaining a 14.4 percent efficiency rate, revealing a noticeable progress from the 13.4% rate recorded last year.

Following this path, First Solar plans to expand its research to be able to brag about a 15% rate traceable outside their laboratories, by 2015.

According to developers, their progress, announced during the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, was also confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)

While making their thin-film solar panels more energy-efficient, the company would also decrease costs and move a step forward in the competition with cheap silicon-based solar panels.

"This considerable achievement supports our module efficiency roadmap and demonstrates our ability to convert our record-cell technology into ongoing module-level improvements.These records also underscore the tremendous ongoing potential of CdTe compared to silicon-based technologies," explained  Dave Eaglesham, First Solar's chief technology officer.

So far, the company has managed to produce and deliver 5 GW of advanced, eco-friendly thin-film modules. Perhaps the most surprising fact is that First Solar can convert a mere sheet of glass into an energy-efficient solar panel in only 2 hours and a half.

Since the enterprise is keen on minimizing the carbon footprint by all means, it also gives the green light to a recycling campaign, gathering old PV panels from homeowners at no extra costs, to convert them into new products.