Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11:00:01 AM - by Nate Lew

San Jose, California-based SunPower Corp. announced on October 26 that they had developed a solar panel with a total area efficiency of 20.4 percent.

The 96-cell, 333-watt solar panel, comprised of third-generation solar cell technology, provides a minimum cell efficiency of 23 percent. By cutting larger cells from a 165-millimeter (6.496-inch diameter) silicon ingot, and by coating the panel with anti-reflective material, SunPower has achieved the highest efficiency rating for a full-sized solar panel, a rating verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL, a lab operating under the U.S. Department of Energy, or DoE, an independent testing facility renowned for its scientific and technological excellence.

This newest, full-sized panel prototype was developed using up to $10.5 million in DoE funds provided under the Solar America Initiative (SAI) to SunPower in March of 2007.

In May of 2008, SunPower also announced record efficiencies, of 23.4 percent, for a large-area solar cell prototype. During the 2009 Solar Decathlon, winning homes from Germany, Illinois and California (first, second and third respectively) all used SunPower solar panels in their zero-energy model homes. 2009 was the third year in which SunPower panel-powered Solar Decathlon homes placed first.

SunPower expects the new panels to reach the commercial marketplace within two years, and will begin manufacturing operations at an automated panel production facility in 2010 using equipment whose design was also funded from the 2007 SAI grant.

The company also recently announced the availability of its solar roof tile, the T5, designed to combine a solar panel, its frame, and the mounting system into a single unit. This was also developed from SAI funding, though its debut was somewhat overshadowed by Dow’s announcement of an integrated solar shingle called the “Powerhouse”. These were unveiled at Dow’s Michigan headquarters on Oct. 5.

The Solar America Initiative is aimed at accelerating solar energy technologies into the “affordable solar” marketplace by 2015, providing American energy security and reducing demand on the nation’s aging, polluting coal plants.

By aligning government partnerships with industry, universities, national laboratories, states and other public and private entities, and funding R&D, the SAI hopes to promote the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies to meet carbon emission reductions goals slated for the very near future.