Practical performance of solar->electricity conversation

[picotube]

Would anyone please advise what's the highest achievable energy conversation efficiency frm solar-to-electricity at the moment (commercially available or in research lab)? Probably we could compare it by stating the power density (output-watt/area).

 

[Munib]

Re: Practical performance of solar->electricity conversat

i think its around 20-22 %

 

[picotube]

Do you have any idea to state the efficiency in term of watt/area? I wish to know if I want 1000W, what is the amount surface area that I need to produce 1kW of electricity.

 

[Externet]

Re: Practical performance of solar->electricity conversat

Hi.
Full solar irradiation on earth is considered as being 1KW/m²
If the cell efficiency is 10% ; ten times that area = 10m² would yield 1KW.
Miguel

 

[sinatra]

Re: Practical performance of solar->electricity conversat

The eficience of energie conversion can go up to 17% for the standard solar cells in amorfous silicon technology.
The are other new technologies coming based for example in cadmium-selenium processes that can reach about 7% only but can have 10 times longer life-time keeping the same efficience and may cost less than 10% of the price of the silicon ones.
One interesting remark about the silicon cells is that considering the money spent to buy, dispose and may be for operation and installation, and also the gradual reduction of efficience as the get old, if you make a carefull calculation you will see that the silicon cells hardly succeed to pay back all the investiment with the energy they produce!!!!!
This means, they are probably not yet an alternative source of energy.
Greetings.
S:

 

[aryajur]

Re: Practical performance of solar->electricity conversat

I think the highest achieved is 40% by some institute in Australia. Also check out

https://www.ise.fhg.de

 

[picotube]

Re: Practical performance of solar->electricity conversat

Full solar irradiation on earth is considered as being 1KW/m²
If the cell efficiency is 10% ; ten times that area = 10m² would yield 1KW.
Miguel

1kW/m², meaning if it's 100% efficiency, we still need an area of 1m x 1m to generate 1kW power. Is there any method that could improve the value of '1kW/m ²' ?

 

[flatulent]

Re: Practical performance of solar->electricity conversat

I have seen some systems with mirrors to increase the light on the cells but it also increases the heat.