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Type 1 - Silicon Based Solar Cell
Question: is there anywhere to find what cells previous winning cars used?
Monocrystalline vs Polycrystalline:
Mono cells are made of one single fragment of silicon, are more efficient (about 4%) and are recommended when space is a limitation.
Poly cells consist of multiple fragments of silicon melted together, and although they are less expensive than mono, they are less efficient.
MS will use mono.
Type 2 - Thin Film GaAs - Will not be using due to cost
Lightweight and thin
The most efficient (electrons travel six times faster through it)
Very expensive (1000x more than silicon counterparts)
Type 3 - Multi-junction - Will not be using due to cost
Resources/links:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266693582030001X
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