First Solar, Inc. FSLR today announced it set a new world record for
cadmium-telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) module conversion efficiency,
achieving a record 16.1 percent total area module efficiency in tests
confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL). The new record is a substantial increase over the prior
record of 14.4 percent efficiency, which the Company set in January 2012.
Separately, First Solar also set a record for CdTe open circuit voltage
(V[OC]), a critical parameter for PV performance, reaching 903.2 millivolts
(mV) in NREL-certified testing. This new record marks the first substantial
increase in CdTe V[OC] in over a decade of international R&D. The new records
come just six weeks after First Solar announced a new world record for CdTe
solar cell efficiency of 18.7 percent.
Transferring its success in the R&D lab to its commercial modules, First Solar
also launched a new evolution of its proven Series 3 thin-film PV module
platform, the Series 3 Black^TM, which incorporates First Solar's latest
advances in conversion efficiency as well as additional features to enhance
its performance in utility-scale power plants. The all-black module's change
in appearance results from the use of an advanced, all-black edge seal
technology combined with an innovative encapsulation material that further
enhances its field durability and demonstrates improvements in accelerated
life testing results.
The Series 3 Black's performance in a wide range of operating environments is
further validated by its new IEC 60068-2-68 “sand and dust test”
certification, which measures durability in harsh desert environments
characterized by blowing abrasive sand. The certification complements existing
IEC salt mist and ammonia certifications to provide a comprehensive range of
independent testing that reflects world-class durability and performance in
the harshest operating conditions. The Series 3 Black module maintains all the
existing IEC certifications and UL listings for the Series 3 family which
enable the 1000-volt system designs that typify the Company's utility-scale
power plants. First Solar began to implement the Series 3 Black enhancements
in production modules earlier this year.
Based on the Company's record-setting technology and robust Series 3 Black
platform, the Company also has accelerated its module conversion efficiency
roadmap, raising its lead production line module efficiency target for 2015 to
15-16.2 percent. First Solar also extended its module conversion efficiency
roadmap to 2017, with targets for lead production line module efficiency of
16.2-16.9 percent in 2016 and 16.4-17.1 percent in 2017.
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