"For the past 15 years, the efficiency of converting heat into electricity with thermovoltaics has been stalled at 23 percent. But a groundbreaking physical insight has allowed researchers to raise this efficiency to 29 percent. Using a novel design, the researchers are now aiming to reach 50 percent efficiency in the near future by applying well-established scientific concepts."
^interesting part, the drone stuff is just click-bait
left out the actual science part of this interesting part:
> According to Yablonovitch, this finding builds on work that he and students published in 2011, which found that the key to boosting solar cell efficiency was not by absorbing more photons (light) but emitting them. By adding a highly reflective mirror on the back of a photovoltaic cell, they broke efficiency records at the time and have continued to do so with subsequent research.
Is this simply a matter of getting a second chance to capture the photon (by the same mechanism) as it makes a second pass through the cell after reflection?
The solar panel market is dominated by cheap silicon wafer based production from China. This research involves uses of higher efficiency PV in other markets. Thermophotovoltaics have applications in hybrid cars, drones, and cogeneration of electricity. In the conclusion of this talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDxJsa8miNQ&feature=youtu.be...) Eli Yablonovitch says the automotive market is ten times larger than the solar panel market and is something that higher efficiency PV can target in the near term. Drones are a niche market that Alta Devices is already working in.
^interesting part, the drone stuff is just click-bait