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"For the past 15 years, the efficiency of converting heat into electricity with thermovoltaics has been stalled at 23 percent. But a groundbreaking physical ins

"For the past 15 years, the efficiency of converting heat into electricity with thermovoltaics has been stalled at 23 percent. But a groundbreaking physical insight has allowed researchers to raise this efficiency to 29 percent. Using a novel design, the researchers are now aiming to reach 50 percent efficiency in the near future by applying well-established scientific concepts." ^interesting part, the drone stuff is just click-bait

Tade0 7y ago
I wonder if this would be enough to create the ultimate flex-fuel vehicle?
blamestross 7y ago
Does this mean we can make lighter/smaller RTGs?
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
flanbiscuit 7y ago
left out the actual science part of this interesting part: > According to Yablonovitch, this finding builds on work that he and students published in 2011, which found that the key to boosting solar cell efficiency was not by absorbing more photons (light) but emitting them. By adding a highly reflective mirror on the back of a photovoltaic cell, they broke efficiency records at the time and have continued to do so with subsequent research.
- mac01021 7y ago
  Perhaps a stupid question: Is this simply a matter of getting a second chance to capture the photon (by the same mechanism) as it makes a second pass through the cell after reflection?
bufferoverflow 7y ago
We have multijunction cells with 47.1% efficiency (as of June 20th). Other than the price, what's the significance of single-junction 50% efficiency? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CellPVeff(rev190702).pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CellPVeff(rev190702).pdf
baking 7y ago
The solar panel market is dominated by cheap silicon wafer based production from China. This research involves uses of higher efficiency PV in other markets. Thermophotovoltaics have applications in hybrid cars, drones, and cogeneration of electricity. In the conclusion of this talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDxJsa8miNQ&feature=youtu.be&t=3437 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDxJsa8miNQ&feature=youtu.be...) Eli Yablonovitch says the automotive market is ten times larger than the solar panel market and is something that higher efficiency PV can target in the near term. Drones are a niche market that Alta Devices is already working in.

Tade0 7y ago

I wonder if this would be enough to create the ultimate flex-fuel vehicle?

blamestross 7y ago

Does this mean we can make lighter/smaller RTGs?

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

flanbiscuit 7y ago

left out the actual science part of this interesting part: > According to Yablonovitch, this finding builds on work that he and students published in 2011, which found that the key to boosting solar cell efficiency was not by absorbing more photons (light) but emitting them. By adding a highly reflective mirror on the back of a photovoltaic cell, they broke efficiency records at the time and have continued to do so with subsequent research.

mac01021 7y ago
Perhaps a stupid question: Is this simply a matter of getting a second chance to capture the photon (by the same mechanism) as it makes a second pass through the cell after reflection?

bufferoverflow 7y ago

We have multijunction cells with 47.1% efficiency (as of June 20th). Other than the price, what's the significance of single-junction 50% efficiency? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CellPVeff(rev190702).pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CellPVeff(rev190702).pdf

baking 7y ago

The solar panel market is dominated by cheap silicon wafer based production from China. This research involves uses of higher efficiency PV in other markets. Thermophotovoltaics have applications in hybrid cars, drones, and cogeneration of electricity. In the conclusion of this talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDxJsa8miNQ&feature=youtu.be&t=3437 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDxJsa8miNQ&feature=youtu.be...) Eli Yablonovitch says the automotive market is ten times larger than the solar panel market and is something that higher efficiency PV can target in the near term. Drones are a niche market that Alta Devices is already working in.