Growth in solar electricity generation capacity was achieved in part from subsidies, that reduced silicon cell costs by stimulating manufacturing efficiencies. Future cost reductions may need to be driven by increased cell efficiency. Multi-junction solar cells are used in high-end space applications where compactness and efficiency are critical requirements. Higher efficiencies could result in such cells becoming cost-competitive with conventional energy sources, but development was slowed by an impractical standard calibration method.

Impact

AZUR SPACE, the German manufacturer of high-performance MJSCs for satellite applications, provided solar cell assemblies for use as reference cells for the project. It subsequently contracted project partner PTB to provide ongoing calibration services for its reference solar cells. At the time of writing, this has involved the delivery of four-junction MJSCs on which to perform qualifications and product characterisations, that led to the commercialisation of new cell designs.

https://www.euramet.org/casestudies/casestudiesdetails/news/faster-solar-cell-product-development/