military has panels twice as effcient?

rollandelliott
rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
from this article:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/17/technology/military_energy/index.htm?hpt=te_bn5
This year the Marines are looking to buy larger, trailer-mounted solar panels that use advanced materials to generate twice the power of conventional silicon-based panels and can power an entire base.

wonder if this is just a misunderstanding or if really true?

Comments

  • RCinFLA
    RCinFLA Solar Expert Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: military has panels twice as effcient?

    If money is no object you can buy GaAs panels with greater then 25% efficiency which is about twice the 13-14% typical efficiency of silicon panels.
    They are about $40 per watt.

    GaAs based multijunction devices are the most efficient solar cells to date. In October 2010, triple junction metamorphic cell reached a record high of 42.3%
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    Re: military has panels twice as effcient?

    Tripple junction cells are available if you know how to get them..(dont tell them Joe sent you) thats not the new password.:roll:
    But they will cost you about $100 per watt.:cool:
    What size panels were you looking for???
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: military has panels twice as effcient?

    wow I didn't know that high of an effciency was even possible. Wonder if that tech will ever trickle down to the consumer level? Sure would make installing array's that are 1/4 the size a lot easier.
  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    Re: military has panels twice as effcient?
    RCinFLA wrote: »
    If money is no object you can buy GaAs panels with greater then 25% efficiency which is about twice the 13-14% typical efficiency of silicon panels.
    They are about $40 per watt.
    I want credit for not going political with my reply. :D