Photovoltaic

made in Germany

Technical Milestones

1964 
Silicon space solar cell reached 8 % efficiency at AMO

1969 
The first German solar-powered satellite “AZUR” was launched into orbit.

1974 
First multi-crystalline Si solar cell with 10 % efficiency at AM 1.5 (in cooperation with Wacker Chemitronic-Telefunken)

1983 
First fully automated terrestrial production line in screen printing technology

1986 
High efficiency Si solar cell reached 18 % efficiency at AMO

1990 
Ultrathin (5 µm) GaAs solar cell reached 20 % efficiency at AMO

2001 
First European triple-junction (TJ) GaAs space solar cell with 25 % efficiency at AMO

2004 
First CPV solar cell with more than 32% efficiency at AM1.5d

2005 
Triple-junction GaAs solar cell achieved 27 % efficiency at AMO (4x8cm²).

2006
Triple-junction GaAs solar cell reached 28.5 % efficiency at AMO (8x8cm²).

2007 
Triple-junction CPV solar cell with 35 % efficiency at AM1.5d

 

2008 
Triple-junction GaAs solar cell with 30% efficiency at AMO

2009 
World Record lattice-mismatch CPV GaAs triple-junction cell with 41.1% efficiency at AM1.5d (in cooperation with ISE)

2011 
Large-scale production of CPV solar cells with average efficiency of almost 40 % at AM1.5d

2011 
Dr. Klaus-Dieter Rasch, AZUR SPACE’s managing director was nominated for the German Future Award 2011 

2012 
Triple-junction solar cell with 35 % efficiency at AM1.5 for terrestrial one sun applications in
large-scale production

 

 




Spectrum Explanations

AMO (Air Mass Zero) = standardized sun light spectrum outside the earth atmosphere.

AM1.5 (Air Mass 1.5) = standardized sun light spectrum, applied for terrestrial PV applications. It is also called AM1.5G as G stands for global and includes direct and diffuse radiation.

AM1.5d (Air Mass 1.5d) = standardized sun light spectrum, applied for terrestrial CPV applications. D stands for direct and includes direct radiation only.

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