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According to a report on the Solarbe website, Wuxi Suntech, the world’s third-largest manufacturer of photovoltaic cell modules, claimed that by using Pluto technology it has managed to achieve a conversion efficiency of 19% for single-crystal silicon cells and 17% for polycrystalline silicon cells. These are the results that were published after Suntech recently submitted a batch of PV cell samples manufactured using Pluto technology to the Institute for Solar Energy Systems at Fraunhofer in Germany, a globally renowned third-party testing institution. According to tests conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute, the conversion efficiency of single-crystal silicon solar cells reached 18.8%, while that of polycrystalline silicon cells was 17.2%. At the same time, Suntech claims that 34 MW of these two types of batteries have been produced in bulk on its Pluto production line, and this was achieved using ordinary solar-grade silicon wafers. Dr. Wenham, Shangri-La’s chief technology officer, said that Shangri-La’s Pluto technology represents a new breakthrough, compared to the typical efficiency levels of solar cells – 16.5% for monocrystalline silicon cells and 15.5% for polycrystalline silicon cells. Dr. Wenham also noted that the battery modules produced by Suntech using Pluto technology will be among the most efficient polycrystalline solar cells that can be manufactured in bulk on a global scale. Dr. Shengrong Shang of Suntech said that the advantage of Pluto technology is that it meets the basic requirements of the solar industry – high efficiency, high stability, and high power output – without the need for higher-grade silicon wafers. It is believed that Suntech’s products utilizing Pluto technology can help customers save costs and reduce the space required, making them particularly suitable for applications such as roofs integrated with buildings. The Pluto technology, for which a patent application is currently being filed, is based on the PERL technology developed by the University of NSW in Australia, and it has achieved a record efficiency of 25% in the laboratory. Compared to traditional screen printing technology, Pluto technology can increase the power output of batteries by nearly 12%. The unique texturing technique results in a lower reflectivity, ensuring that more solar light is absorbed even when the sunlight is not shining directly; moreover, the narrower metal leads on the surface help to reduce shadow losses. Moreover, Pluto technology can be used in the manufacturing of various products by Suntech. Dr. Shi Zhengrong added that Pluto technology’s mass production capabilities represent years of Shunwei’s world-class solar R&D efforts, which have brought together 350 experts from three different ** regions. It will further drive down the costs of photovoltaic products, enabling them to compete with traditional electricity prices at an earlier stage without the need for subsidies. In addition to improving efficiency, Suntech’s R&D teams are developing new solar applications, such as products integrated with buildings, as well as optimizing materials and components, including module encapsulation technologies and the stability of power output. Suntech expects that, within the next 2 years, the goal of Pluto technology will be to achieve a conversion efficiency of 20% for single-crystal silicon cells and 18% for polycrystalline silicon cells. At present, Suntech already has a production line for battery modules using Pluto technology with a capacity of 34 megawatts; this capacity is set to increase to 100 megawatts within the next two months. Suntech hopes to obtain the industrial certification for battery modules produced using Pluto technology in the second quarter of 2009, and to produce products with a capacity of over 50 megawatts by the end of that year. Pluto has become a well-known brand of Suntech Power. Source: China Chemical Industry Network