Will Boeing be Successful at Selling High Efficiency Spectrolab Germanium Solar Cells

Boeing,the US Aircraft and Military Equipment Supplier had decided to sell its high efficiency solar cells in 2011.Note Boeing Subsidiary had created a record a couple of years ago with a 39.2% multi junction solar cell.These cells are primarily used in spacecraft where low space requirements require the use of high efficiency cells without major cost considerations.Spectrolab has continued to improve on the efficiency of the cells reaching 41.6% in a NREL Lab Test.Boeing has claimed a 60% marketshare of the space solar cell market and hopes to replicate that success on Earth as well.Boeing had earlier said that it would set up a 300 MW capacity by 2010 and market solar cells to CPV companies such as SolFocus.Will Boeing be Successful at Selling High Efficiency Spectrolab Germanium Solar Cells

The C3JM+ Solar Cells are multi junction Cells and should have application in niche areas which are space constrained like solar aircraft etc.Can’t think of Boeing being able to compete with mass produced crystalline solar cells produced by Chinese producers or the low cost low efficiency panels made by First Solar.Boeing is following in the footsteps of other industrial conglomerates like GE who want to target the super fast growing Solar Energy Market.Fellow Military Contract Northrop Gruman has also decided to enter the Green Energy Market tying up with Gamesa to sell offshore wind turbines.

Boeing Enters Solar Market With High-Efficiency Cells (Update1) – Bloomberg

Boeing Co., the world’s largest aerospace company, plans to deliver its first commercial scale high-efficiency solar-power cells for Earth-based electricity production in January.The cells are made from single-crystal germanium substrates, said Russ Jones, a Spectrolab business development director. The company will produce as many as 10 million of the cells next year, depending on demand. He would not discuss production costs.