CIGS thin-film PV module manufacturer MiaSolé announced achieving 17.44% aperture area efficiency on a commercial size solar panel. Germany's Fraunhofer ISE has independently confirmed the announcement. MiaSolé says this achievement is recognized a new certified record for a large area CIGS module in the latest efficiency table of scientific publication Progress in Photovoltaics .
MiaSolé produce a 189 W research panel with an aperture area of 1.08 m2 at its Santa Clara, California production lines. MiaSolé, a subsidiary of Chinese company Hanergy, deposits CIGS on flexible substrates using high-speed physical vapor deposition (PVD) that produces high-efficiency solar cells in a continuous and high throughput process.
In a brief announcement, MiaSolé's Chief Technology Officer Atiye Bayman said, "This achievement is the result of our targeted focus in research and development to increase conversion efficiency and to provide durable, high power, flexible and lightweight products."
In January 2019, MiaSolé and Solliance reported 21.5% power conversion efficiency using a perovskite solar cell on top and flexible CIGS cell on bottom of a tandem cell (see 21.5% Efficiency For Flexible Tandem Cell).