NREL verifies First Solar’s big leap in CdTe cell efficiency

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

New R&D test cells produced at First Solar’s Perrysburg, Ohio factory and R&D centre have reached a new record cell conversion efficiency of 18.7%. The record was verified by the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and announced by First Solar yesterday.

It has been over a year since First Solar announced in July 2011 that it had achieved a record cell efficiency of 17.3%, which was recently surpassed by rival GE with a reported cell efficiency of 18.3%.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Raffi Garabedian, First Solar's Chief Technology Officer said: “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.”

Indeed, PV-Tech recently highlighted that First Solar has long been leading the pack in R&D spending, heavily out-spending any of its rivals over the last five years.

However, falling polysilicon prices and conventional crystalline silicon cell efficiency gains have virtually eliminated First Solar’s previous cost per watt leadership position.

First Solar has needed to push both cell efficiencies higher and at a faster rate as well as bring meaningful cell efficiency gains into volume module production to preserve its competitive position.

Average production module efficiencies reached 12.9% in the fourth quarter of 2012, up 0.7% from 12.2% in the same period of 2011. Best line module performance in the fourth quarter of 2012 was 13.1%, up 0.5% from 12.6% in the prior ear period.

First Solar has already made moves and motions to boost efforts in these directions and is preparing to provide an update on this strategy at an analyst meeting in April 2013, to be held in New York as part of providing full-year financial guidance.  

Read Next

July 7, 2025
ReNew has received a non-binding final acquisition offer from a consortium at US$8 per share, which is 13.2% more than their earlier offer.
July 7, 2025
Chinese energy giant China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, also known as Sinopec, has commenced operations at a 7.5MW offshore floating PV plant in China.
July 7, 2025
GameChange Solar has announced plans to supply trackers for the 1GW second phase of the Abydos project in Egypt.
July 7, 2025
Private equity firm Ardian has completed the acquisition of French independent power producer Akuo, a transaction unveiled in March 2025.
July 7, 2025
In Europe, PV panel prices fell marginally between May and June, leading to a slight downturn in European module buyers’ market confidence.
July 4, 2025
Chinese PV provider Skycorp Solar Group has announced a solar plant acquisition and development strategy following unanimous board approval.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK