DSM Functional Coatings in the Netherlands has announced the optimization of its KhepriCoat™ solar anti-reflective coating system. The improvements already have resulted in a significant contribution to the first multicrystalline-silicon solar panels in the world to achieve a conversion efficiency of 17 percent, produced by REC and the Energy Research Center (ECN) of the Netherlands.

The KhepriCoat solar anti-reflective coating system boosts light transmission of solar glass lites by around 4 percent, resulting in an improvement in solar module efficiency. A dedicated research group within DSM is working on technology that improves efficiency while at the same time allowing significant cost reductions in solar systems.

The new efficiency record, which was announced in December 2009, was the result of a joint effort between the Norwegian company REC, which produces multicrystalline solar wafers, and ECN, which produced the cells and assembled the world-record solar panel. DSM provided the glass with the KhepriCoat solar anti-reflective coating. This cooperation has now led to the 17 percent efficiency barrier of multicrystalline-silicon solar panels being broken.

“We are pleased that these frontrunners in the solar industry are recognizing the added value of our KhepriCoat™ coating system in making solar power a mainstream energy source,” says Remko Goudappel, DSM Functional Coatings business director. “We hope that the achievement of this new milestone will accelerate the implementation of anti-reflective coatings in the rapidly growing solar energy market.”

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