Last year , First Solar beat the conversion efficiency mark for cadmium telluride ( CT ) with a world - record 21.5 % , beating the previous record of 20.4%efficiency ; the company predicted it would exceed 22 % in 2015 . According to the firm , " The achievement places First Solar ahead of its established research cell roadmap , and validates CdTe ’s significant competitive advantage over traditional crystalline silicon technology . " Raffi Ali , First Solar 's CTO , notes , " We 've improved the efficiency and energy density of our mass - produced commercial PV modules at a rate at least three times faster than our multi - crystalline Si competitors . We fully expect to further separate ourselves from the pack in coming years . "
Last year, First Solar beat the conversion efficiency mark for cadmium telluride (Cdte) with a world-record 21.5%, beating the 2014 record of 20.4%efficiency; the company predicted it would exceed 22% in 2015. According to the firm, "The achievement places First Solar ahead of its established research cell roadmap, and validates CdTe’s continuing competitive advantage over traditional crystalline silicon technology." Raffi Garabedian, First Solar's CTO, notes, "We've improved the efficiency and energy density of our mass-produced commercial PV modules at a rate at least three times faster than our multi-crystalline Si competitors. We fully expect to further separate ourselves from the pack in coming years."