AFRL works together in break-through solar energy growth

• The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in growing an innovation for producing high-efficiency solar cells in a high-throughput, inexpensive way by means of a modern technology called vibrant hydride vapor stage epitaxy, or D-HVPE.

" We have been tracking the DOE's investments at NREL in this area for several years," stated David Wilt, AFRL senior physicist. "The team at NREL designed the D-HVPE modern technology and are globe professionals being used this technology to develop high-efficiency solar cells."

According to a July 26, 2019 write-up on the NREL site, researchers at NREL "have actually refined the D-HVPE process to generate solar cells more than 20 times faster than the procedure now frequently used called metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE).".

" Current solar cell and also panel production is costly," stated Wilt. "The end objective of D-HVPE technology, as well as the other relevant efforts, is to allow high-efficiency space solar cells and also panels to be created in big amount as well as at lower price to allow even more as well as bigger area usages, as well as a range of Department of Defense earthbound applications.".

NREL sees important advantages in working together with AFRL on the D-HVPE technology.

" Partnering with the Air Force is essential so that we can grow D-HVPE technology to the point where maybe transitioned to personal sector," said Kelsey Horowitz, NREL lead researcher. "The Air Force additionally assists NREL in much better comprehending the solar cell innovation needs as well as demands for a series of defense applications.".

D-HVPE is promising for both defense and commercial usage. "If we achieve success in reducing all of the high expense solar cell manufacture procedures, we may enable using these high-efficiency cells in wider private and also business applications," Horowitz claimed. "These consist of applications that require higher power per location and value versatility, like on ships, electric cars, or portable tools.".

The AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate has actually been a leader in space solar energy systems for years and in cooperation with sector partners, has actually made big advancements in photovoltaic-based spacecraft power modern technologies.

" The maturation of D-HVPE innovation will certainly build upon AFRL's other research study advancements with the objective of giving game-changing renewable power options for the warfighter," claimed Wilt. "For instance, space-solar-beaming, central to AFRL's SSPIDR project, needs budget friendly high effectiveness solar cells such as those generated by D-HVPE," Wilt said. "Scientists at AFRL prepare for utilizing these next-gen solar cells to collect the sun's energy, convert it to radio frequency and also beam it to a receiver on earth.".