STMicroelectronics Leads Way to Higher Solar Power Efficiency

“Energy efficiency is one of the key areas of focus for ST and we have a long and successful track record in this segment, having developed some of the world’s most efficient power-handling technologies,” said Giuseppe Izzo, “In photovoltaics, we concentrate on solutions that increase the energy conversion efficiency and maximize the energy harvesting from solar panels, further enlarging the Company’s role in addressing the global challenge of energy saving and efficiency.”

At the vanguard of the solar power electronics, ST has recently unveiled two key innovations that improve efficiency at both the solar panel and the cell level:

* The Solar Energy Booster - SPV1020 - maximizes the amount of power harvested from a single solar panel, improving the overall efficiency of a photovoltaic system. ST’s device employs an innovative distributed approach, with multiple photovoltaic cells hooked up in strings and connected to individual converters that are embedded in the rear side of the panel. The distributed architecture delivers higher efficiency compared to conventional solar-power system topologies, where most of the electronics are centralized in the main converter box.
* ST’s intelligent switch - SPV1001- enhances the energy conversion efficiency at the solar cell level. Compared to the use of traditional diodes, the switch minimizes current leakage when the photovoltaic panel is producing energy, by integrating highly efficient power components with logic control circuitry. In addition, the switch operates at a lower temperature, which translates into longer lifetime and higher reliability.

Further expanding its presence in the high-growth solar power market, ST has recently created a joint venture with Sharp and Enel for production of innovative photovoltaic panels. These panels are particularly suited for medium- and large-scale power generation and are able to maintain a very high level of energy conversion efficiency even in very hot climates.

According to Gartner, the global photovoltaic market will reach 15.2 gigawatts this year – a 77% increase over 2009 - and it will continue to grow at a double-digit rate over the next three years.