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| Scalable silicon nanowire-based solar cell GE Global Research, the centralized research organization of the General Electric Company, announced that scientists on their Nano Photovoltaics (PV) team have demonstrated a scalable silicon nanowire-based solar cell, which has the potential to achieve up to 18% efficiency and be produced at a dramatically lower cost than conventional solar cells. This demonstration represents a promising development in the effort to make PV systems more economically viable for consumers. "GE's demonstration of the silicon nanowire-based cell represents a significant breakthrough in our efforts to enable higher efficiency cells that can be produced at much lower production costs, " said Dr. Loucas Tsakalakos, Project Leader of GE's Nano PV team. "Today, higher efficiency often comes with a higher price tag. Through the unique processing and materials property benefits enabled by nanotechnology, we're aiming to break that paradigm and pave the way to making solar power more affordable for consumers while maintaining and even improving cell performance." GE Energy markets and sells solar electric power systems for residential, commercial and industrial applications. GE's Global Research Center is actively engaged in developing cutting-edge technologies that will advance the Company's product portfolio. The work published in Applied Physics Letters was a result of collaboration between researchers at GE Global Research and GE Energy-Solar Technologies. GE's solar research program is unique in that it involves a comprehensive examination across the entire solar industry value chain to enable technology solutions that will make solar power more affordable and available in the U.S. and around the world. The program has a balanced mix of short and long-term technology initiatives to achieve its goals. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |