The case for a 40% efficiency goal for photovoltaic cells in 2005

The creation of 40% efficient, multijunction laboratory cells under 500× concentrations is a reasonable, important near-term goal for the US photovoltaic (PV) program. A renewed focus on high-performance PV device research is justified by the large-scale market potential it creates for PV. Promising research results on multijunction III–V devices have established the technical feasibility of this goal. DOE is working to expand the resources available for high-performance research, while continuing to accomplish breakthroughs in thin-films, manufacturing, and balance of systems that will pave the way for commercial deployment of new high-efficiency PV devices. This paper explains why 40% efficiency is important to achieving PVʹs potential, the research results that have led to this conclusion and how this research complements the overall PV program; and discusses how the US program intends to accomplish this challenging – but realistic – goal.