The art of solar progress

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Solar power is on a roll. Each year, technology that harnesses the sun’s unfathomable energy keeps improving. As the world wakes up to the growing necessity to develop sustainable, renewable energy, the dream of a solar-powered world is no longer science fiction. New research, better manufacturing techniques, and more innovative installations have expanded the use of solar power around the world.

Sharp Develops Solar Cell with World's Highest* Conversion Efficiency of 35.8%: To boost the efficiency of triple-junction compound solar cells, it is important to improve the crystal quality in each photo-absorption layer (the top, middle, and bottom). It is also crucial that the solar cell be composed of materials that can maximize the effective use of solar energy. Sharp has succeeded in forming an InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) bottom layer with high crystal quality by using its proprietary technology. As a result, the amount of wasted current has been minimized, and the conversion efficiency, which had been 31.5% in Sharp’s previous cells, has been successfully increased to 35.8%.
*As of October 22, 2009, for non-concentrator solar cells at the research level (based on Sharp survey).

Tokai University Wins 2009 GGC* in Solar Car Equipped with Sharp Solar Cells: The high performance of Sharp’s compound solar cell was proven by the amazing drive of the Tokai University team. On October 25, 2009, the solar car team from Tokai University began its impressive run from Darwin in the north of Australia to Adelaide in the south, covering the approximately 3,000 kilometers at an average speed of about 100 kilometers per hour. The team’s journey ended at 2:39 p.m. (local time) on October 28, when its car, the Tokai Challenger, crossed the finish line in first place, well ahead of the second-place finisher.
*GGC : Global Green Challenge

Decades of Space-based Solar Cell Research Provides Breakthrough Efficiency: Sharp has achieved the world’s highest* solar cell conversion efficiency of 35.8% using a triple-junction compound solar cell. Unlike silicon-based solar cells, the compound solar cell utilizes photo-absorption layers made from compounds consisting of two or more elements such as indium and gallium. Due to their high conversion efficiency, compound solar cells are used mainly on space satellites. Since 2000, Sharp has been advancing research and development on a triple-junction compound solar cell that achieves high conversion efficiency by stacking three photo-absorption layers.
*As of October 22, 2009, for non-concentrator solar cells at the research level (based on Sharp survey).

Sharp Exhibits Leading Environmental Technologies at Eco-Products 2009: Sharp exhibited its advanced technologies at Eco-Products 2009, Japan’s biggest trade show of environment-related technologies, which was held in Tokyo. Sharp displayed its various environmental efforts that contribute to realizing a greener society; One of them is Tokai University’s solar car equipped with Sharp’s high-performance solar cells with high conversion efficiency, which won the 2009 Global Green Challenge. Also, a special talk show was held on the stage in Sharp’s booth, featuring Mr. Kenjiro Shinozuka, the driver of the team.

Sharp Aims to Become a Total Solution Company in the Photovoltaic Field: Sharp, Enel Green Power, and STMicroelectronics made a joint announcement in Rome, Italy, on the establishment of a joint venture for production of thin-film solar cells, and one for IPP business, mainly in Europe. Thin-film solar cells are able to maintain their conversion efficiency even in hot climates and so are suitable for large-scale photovoltaic power generation, especially in Mediterranean areas, including southern Europe. Through collaboration with a power company, Sharp aims to become a total solution company in the photovoltaic field, initiating the world’s first business model extending from thin-film solar cell production to IPP business.