Solar3D Newest Solar Cell Will Produce Even More Power
Company’s Continuing Work on its Breakthrough Product Results in an Enhanced Version that Yields More Electricity per Dollar
Santa Barbara, CA – June 18, 2013 – Solar3D, Inc. (OTC: SLTD), the developer of a breakthrough 3-dimensional solar cell technology to maximize the conversion of sunlight into electricity, today announced that as a result of its continuing research, it has modified the design of its Solar3D Solar Cell to produce more electricity at a lower cost than the original design.
“The Solar3D cell is a fundamentally new cell design that squeezes more power out of silicon, the most abundant solar material on Earth. We have now fine tuned our 2012 prototype design to use much thinner silicon wafers by optimizing the depth, width and angle of the trenches of the three-dimensional photovoltaic microstructures. The original prototype exceeded our expectations but this new one will be even better. Cost will come down and power will increase with this fine tuned design,” said Jim Nelson, CEO of Solar3D.
The initial 2012 prototype design was calculated to produce just over 25% efficiency—the highest of any silicon solar cell. Even more important was an originally unanticipated feature — wide-angle light collection allowing for electricity creation throughout more times of the days and seasons. While the thinner silicon will create an increase in the efficiency of the cell, the real focus of Solar3D’s continuing effort is the optimization of the 3-D structures to increase the length of time during which light can be effectively converted to electricity, relative to current technology. Current technology is most effective for a few hours in the middle of the day.
“Wide angle light collection is the real key to creating dramatically more power within the technology,” Nelson continues, “While we are stretching toward a practical maximum in efficiency, there is a lot more light that we can convert by reaching earlier and later in the days and seasons, and even collecting diffuse light in places like Seattle and England.”
Inspired by light management techniques used in fiber optic devices, the company’s innovative solar cell technology utilizes a 3-dimensional design to trap sunlight inside micro-photovoltaic structures where photons bounce around until they are converted into electrons. Solar3D’s working, proof-of-concept prototype of its innovative solar cell has prepared the firm to focus on the new product’s commercialization—leading them to the current discussions.
Nelson concluded, “We know that this technology works. We continue to refine it—producing more power and making it at a lower cost.”
