Researchers from Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy and the University of Sydney, with Australian Solar Institute support, have achieved a record breaking 40 per cent efficiency in the output from crystalline silicon solar cells. Previously, only up to about 33 per cent of energy could be harvested from normal amorphous crystalline silicon solar cells.
Associate Professor Tim Schmidt from Sydney University's School of Chemistry has been researching improving solar cell efficiency using the upconversion technique, a process which harvests the part of the solar spectrum currently unused by solar cells, and eliminates the need for costly redevelopment of solar cells.
