Boeing-Spectrolab has developed a solar cell that can convert almost 41 percent of the sunlight that strikes it into electricity, the latest step in trying to drop the cost of solar power.
Potentially, the solar cell could bring the cost of solar power down to around $3 a watt, after installation costs and other expenses are factored in, over the life of the panel.
[…]
Current silicon solar cells provide electricity at about $8 a watt, before government rebates. The goal is to bring it to $1 a watt without rebates or incentives.
The cell achieves 40.7 percent efficiency. The Department of Energy has been sponsoring research to find ways to get solar cells past the so-called 40 percent barrier.
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Solar cell breaks efficiency record
Michael Kanellos, CNET News — December 6, 2006
http://news.cnet.com/Solar-cel…
If I’m not mistaken, traditional Power Generation turbines,
are only about 50% efficient —
And they still need to pay for their Carbon-ladened Fuel!