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1999
• Spectrolab, Inc. and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed a photovoltaic solar cell
that converts 32.3 % of the sunlight that hits the cell into electricity. The high conversion efficiency was
achieved by combining three layers of photovoltaic materials into a single solar cell. The cell performed
most efficiently when it received sunlight concentrated to 50 times normal. To use such cells in practical
applications, the cell is mounted in a device that uses lenses or mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto the cell.
Such “concentrator” systems are mounted on tracking systems that keep them pointed toward the sun.
• The National Renewable Energy Laboratory achieved a new efficiency record for thin-film photovoltaic
solar cells. The measurement of 18.8 percent efficiency for the prototype solar cell topped the previous
record by more than 1 percent.
• Solar Cells, Inc. (SCI), True North Partners, and LLC of Phoenix, Arizona merged to become First Solar,
LLC.
The following table provides a breakdown of solar module manufacturers in IEA PVPS countries in 1999. It
provides an overview of the variety of manufacturers that existed and the size of the manufacturing capacity
Table 16: Breakdown of Solar Manufacturers in IEA Countries in 1999
Module Production
Country Manufacturer Cell Manufacturing Production. Capacity Module Type
(MW ) (MW ) (MW )
p
p
p
Australia BP Solar 5.0 5.0 6.0 sc-Si
Solarex
Note: These two 2.0 2.0 5.0 Mc_SI
companies were merging
Canada Canrom No Information sc-Si
Denmark Gaia Solar 0.0 0.075 0.33 mc-SI,sc-SI
France Photowatt 8.5 3.0 10.0 mc-SI
Free Energy Europe 0.4 0.4 1.0 a-SI
mc-Si sc-SI
Germany >20 Manufacturers 4.1 8.8 27.0 EFG a-SI
Great Britain Intersolar 1.5 1.5 2.5 a-SI
0.4 0.4 mc-SI
Eurosolare 2.5
Italy 1.1 1.1 sc-SI
Helios Technology 2.1 2.05 2.2 sc_SI
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