IPSWICH, UK, October 22, 2008.

CIP Technologies (CIP) has says it has achieved a 12% energy conversion efficiency for thermo-photovoltaic (TPV) cells in partnership with the University of Oxford and Wafer Technology.

With partial funding from the UK Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the three year collaborative research project has delivered first generation single-junction cells with energy conversion efficiencies up to 12%, compared to 9% from existing, commercially available devices.

TPVs operate at infrared rather than visible wavelengths, generating electricity directly from heat. They have applications in waste heat recovery from industrial plant such as blast furnaces, combined heat and power (CHP) generation and domestic boilers, as well as silent mobile power generation.

The cells produced by the consortium are based on indium phosphide (InP) materials, which are said to offer higher efficiency, low cost growth and fabrication using industry-standard processes, combined with potential to fabricate more highly integrated and complex cells.

The consortium is now working on a second-generation cell design with a more complex, multi layer construction that will improve infrared capture further. This is expected to extend energy conversion efficiencies to over 15%.