March 11, 2013: First Solar Claims New World Record for PV Solar Cell Efficiency
TEMPE, Ariz., and PERRYSBURG, Ohio — First Solar Inc. announced that it has set a new world record for cadmium-telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) solar cell conversion efficiency, achieving 18.7 percent cell efficiency in tests confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The record-setting cell was constructed at the company’s Perrysburg, Ohio, factory and R&D center using processes and materials — including the glass substrate — that are designed for commercial-scale manufacturing.
“This achievement showcases the huge potential of CdTe compared to other PV technologies and highlights the performance gains we continue to achieve thanks to our consistent and strong investment in R&D,” said Raffi Garabedian, First Solar’s chief technology officer. “We are confident the advanced technologies and processes we developed for this record-setting cell will further enhance the performance of our future production modules and power plants.”