DTN News: Boeing's Spectrolab Produces 3 Millionth Multi-Junction Space Solar Cell

DTN News: Boeing's Spectrolab Produces 3 Millionth Multi-Junction Space Solar Cell

Source: DTN News / Boeing

(NSI News Source Info) SYLMAR, Calif., - November 1, 2010: Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today that Spectrolab Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, has produced its 3 millionth multi-junction, space-based solar cell.

Production records indicate that the gallium arsenide cell was delivered during the week of Oct. 25. Spectrolab has been manufacturing multi-junction solar cells for more than 15 years and other space products for more than 50.

"Congratulations to Spectrolab for this remarkable achievement," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager, Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "Our customers expect flawless satellites that can endure many years in space to enable national-security and Earth-observation missions, as well as consumer and business communications. Spectrolab's solar cells have powered more than 500 satellites and interplanetary missions."

Since its founding in 1956, Spectrolab has led the way in the development of high-efficiency solar cells for space missions. During the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, a Spectrolab product became the first solar panel to be placed on the moon. Today, Spectrolab solar panels are the only panels in operation on Mars, as part of a reconnaissance satellite and two land-exploration rovers.

Spectrolab recently delivered solar panels to the NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory JUNO mission, the first mission to Jupiter to be powered by photovoltaic cells. Spectrolab's cells and panels power approximately 60 percent of all satellites in Earth's orbit, as well as the International Space Station.

"Many years of continuous improvement in product design and high-volume manufacturing experience have allowed Spectrolab to develop mature, cost-effective and repeatable processes, resulting in the delivery of high-quality, reliable and affordable products to both space and terrestrial customers," said David Lillington, president of Spectrolab. "Our business continues to grow as we gain market share. We are increasing productivity and introducing higher levels of automation to meet this increased demand. We expect to announce the production start of our next-generation space cells early next year."

In 2001, Spectrolab embarked on a strategy to adapt its space solar cell technology for terrestrial renewable-energy applications. The terrestrial solar cells convert concentrated sunlight to electricity with an average efficiency of more than 38.5 percent and benefit from the same equipment, materials and processes used for space manufacturing. In 2009, Spectrolab set a new world record in terrestrial concentrator solar efficiency with a triple-junction, lattice-matched cell that converts 41.6 percent of sunlight into electricity. This year, Spectrolab will deliver approximately 50 megawatts of solar cells to its terrestrial concentrated photovoltaic customers and forecasts producing almost 150 megawatts in 2011. Spectrolab is the world’s leading solar cell manufacturer for space and terrestrial applications.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

Contact:

Diana Ball Space & Intelligence Systems Office: 562-797-4303 Mobile: 714-319-1014 diana.ball@boeing.com

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DTN News: Boeing Subsidiary Spectrolab Achieves World Record Solar Cell Efficiency

DTN News: Boeing Subsidiary Spectrolab Achieves World Record Solar Cell Efficiency *Source: DTN News / Boeing (NSI News Source Info) SYLMAR, Calif., - August 27, 2009: Spectrolab Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], today announced that a solar cell it manufactured has set a new world record for terrestrial concentrator solar cell efficiency. The cell can convert 41.6 percent of concentrated sunlight into electricity. The U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., independently tested the efficiency of the Spectrolab cell in June, validating that it surpassed the previous record of 41.1 percent held by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. High-efficiency solar cells in concentrator systems require fewer cells to produce the same electrical output as conventional solar cells. They enable energy producers to generate more electrical power from typical industrial solar panels and pass on lower costs to homeowners, businesses and other end users. "This latest record asserts Spectrolab's leadership position in high efficiency multijunction solar cells and brings the industry one step closer to achieving affordable solar electricity," said David Lillington, president of Spectrolab. "This cell is an advanced version of our lattice-matched cell technology that will be incorporated quickly and successfully into our production line. This milestone underscores our emphasis on realizing the highest efficiency cells in high-volume production." Produced in February 2008, the new Spectrolab cell is an advanced version of the lattice-matched triple-junction technology already produced in high volumes for space and terrestrial applications at Spectrolab, which pioneered the technology more than a decade ago. The new cell incorporates multiple improvements in wafer processing to reduce metal grid shadowing and series resistance, raising the cell's overall efficiency for conversion of sunlight to electricity. "Over the past decade, Spectrolab's efforts developing terrestrial solar cell efficiency have achieved an average improvement of approximately one percentage point per year, and we expect to continue that pace," added Lillington. Spectrolab is the world's leading supplier of multi-junction photovoltaic solar cells, solar panels, searchlights and solar simulators and recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Spectrolab products have powered satellites since 1958 and have contributed to the on-orbit success of numerous commercial, national security and civil space missions. Spectrolab's technological advancements have driven space solar cell efficiencies to more than 28 percent. Today, Spectrolab cells power 60 percent of all satellites orbiting the Earth, as well as the International Space Station. Spectrolab has made significant investments to meet the increasing demand of the terrestrial concentrator photovoltaic industry and expects to have an annual capacity of 300 megawatts when those investments are realized in 2010. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.