From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Tue Mar 05 2002 - 12:40:12 MST
On Tue, 5 Mar 2002, Mike Lorrey wrote:
> This implies
> a doubling period of 4-5 years for space solar power generation
> technology, although two datapoints hardly make for proof of an
> exponential trend.
It is indeed moving quite fast. There are projects underway
to combine the double & triple junction GaAs panels with
thermophotovoltaics to push the efficiency over 40%. Not
so long ago if you asserted you could get the efficiency
that high you would have been laughed at. To continue the
trend they are going to have to figure out a way to use the
UV photons effectively instead of throwing them away.
Lots of room to go in making them lighter as well.
Robert
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