Comments on: Cyrium snags funding, aims for 45% efficient solar http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2007/12/03/cyrium-snags-funding-aims-for-45-efficient-solar/ Trends, happenings and innovations in the clean technology market Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:38:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2007/12/03/cyrium-snags-funding-aims-for-45-efficient-solar/comment-page-1/#comment-1633 Anonymous Sat, 08 Dec 2007 01:08:40 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2007/12/03/cyrium-snags-funding-aims-for-45-efficient-solar/#comment-1633 James, These multi-junction PVs are way more expensive than normal PV. Other than space applications they only become cost effective when you put them in systems using solar concentrators (mirrors or lenses, and sun tracking system) to focus very strong beams of sunlight on them. SolFocus (SolFocus.com) is one interesting technology that might make these high efficiency cells more suitable for terrestrial applications. Though it still requires tracking the sun, so probably not residential. James,

These multi-junction PVs are way more expensive than normal PV. Other than space applications they only become cost effective when you put them in systems using solar concentrators (mirrors or lenses, and sun tracking system) to focus very strong beams of sunlight on them.

SolFocus (SolFocus.com) is one interesting technology that might make these high efficiency cells more suitable for terrestrial applications. Though it still requires tracking the sun, so probably not residential.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2007/12/03/cyrium-snags-funding-aims-for-45-efficient-solar/comment-page-1/#comment-1632 Anonymous Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:47:05 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2007/12/03/cyrium-snags-funding-aims-for-45-efficient-solar/#comment-1632 Aiming for 45 % conversion is stretching it, when Spectrolab can only get to 40.7 %. It's very unlikely they will be able to get up equal to Spectrolab in under 3 years. I've never seen anything in the quantum dot/photovoltaic literature that has actually boosted a bulk cell's efficiency by up or down conversion. $5.5 million is barely enough money to operate a molecular beam epitaxy machine for a few years in a corporate environment. If these guys are using one of the research machines at the NRC then this clearly isn't a manufacturing operation, but a R&D one. That's ok, but scaling up would be slow, since any ultra-high vacuum system is going to have a couple years of bugs to work through. In any event, such cells are generally aimed at the space market, not roof-tops. They are quite expensive. Aiming for 45 % conversion is stretching it, when Spectrolab can only get to 40.7 %. It’s very unlikely they will be able to get up equal to Spectrolab in under 3 years. I’ve never seen anything in the quantum dot/photovoltaic literature that has actually boosted a bulk cell’s efficiency by up or down conversion.

$5.5 million is barely enough money to operate a molecular beam epitaxy machine for a few years in a corporate environment. If these guys are using one of the research machines at the NRC then this clearly isn’t a manufacturing operation, but a R&D one. That’s ok, but scaling up would be slow, since any ultra-high vacuum system is going to have a couple years of bugs to work through.

In any event, such cells are generally aimed at the space market, not roof-tops. They are quite expensive.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2007/12/03/cyrium-snags-funding-aims-for-45-efficient-solar/comment-page-1/#comment-1631 Anonymous Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:15:31 +0000 http://www.cleanbreak.ca/2007/12/03/cyrium-snags-funding-aims-for-45-efficient-solar/#comment-1631 Wow. A 45% efficiency would revolutionise building-integrated PV design. At current efficiencies, most roof-mounted systems are little more than symbolic, rarely worth the effort/expense. But if you triple output, that changes the equation dramatically. I'll assume cost is the main obstacle, but any word on why they're not (yet) tackling the domestic or conventional markets? Wow. A 45% efficiency would revolutionise building-integrated PV design. At current efficiencies, most roof-mounted systems are little more than symbolic, rarely worth the effort/expense. But if you triple output, that changes the equation dramatically. I’ll assume cost is the main obstacle, but any word on why they’re not (yet) tackling the domestic or conventional markets?

]]>