Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab sets new solar cell efficiency world record

Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab recently set a new world record by producing a solar cell that converted 38.8% of solar energy into electricity, more than any other ground-based solar cell not using concentrated sunlight.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., verified the new record, which beats Spectrolab’s own previous world record by one per cent.

Spectrolab manufactured the high-efficiency multi-junction solar cell, which was developed from new Boeing semiconductor bonding technology. This solar cell technology could be used to power high-power spacecraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.