Soitec's SmartCell helps achieve record CPV module efficiency

Even though France’s Soitec (EPA:SOI) agreed to offload its solar system business a month ago it is not yet done with the field, as it just claimed a world-record efficiency of 38.9% for concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) modules.

The French semiconductor materials manufacturer said on Wednesday that its four-junction SmartCell has now been successfully integrated into a CPV module with the said conversion efficiency. This happened after in December the company achieved a record efficiency of 46% with the SmartCell, as a standalone cell, at a concentration level of 508 suns.

The record module efficiency was measured both indoors and outdoors, with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) performing a detailed analysis as part of the process, Soitec noted.

The French company signed a deal in May to sell its solar system business to privately-held firm ConcenSolar for an undisclosed sum. The transaction involves all technology assets and manufacturing facilities in Germany and the US, but excludes certain solar power plants and the SmartCell.

“While we announced earlier this year Soitec’s refocus on its core semiconductor materials business, we also decided to keep all assets related to our SmartCell project in the company’s new strategic scope,” said CEO Paul Boudre, adding that this opens many business opportunities in various sectors.

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