This book describes recent breakthroughs that promise major cost reductions in solar energy
production in a clear and highly accessible manner. The author addresses the three key areas
that have commonly resulted in criticism of solar energy in the past: cost availability and
variability. Coverage includes cutting-edge information on recently developed 40¿ efficient
solar cells which can produce double the power of currently available commercial cells. The
discussion also highlights the potentially transformative emergence of opportunities for
integration of solar energy storage and natural gas combined heat and power systems. Solar
energy production in the evening hours is also given fresh consideration via the convergence of
low cost access to space and the growing number of large terrestrial solar electric power
fields around the world. Dr. Fraas has been active in the development of Solar Cells and Solar
Electric Power Systems for space and terrestrial applications since 1975. His research team at
Boeing demonstrated the first GaAs GaSb tandem concentrator solar cell in 1989 with a world
record energy conversion efficiency of 35¿ garnering awards from Boeing and NASA. He has over
30 years of experience at Hughes Research Labs Chevron Research Co and the Boeing High
Technology Center working with advanced semiconductor devices. In a pioneering paper he
proposed the InGaP GaInAs Ge triple junction solar cell predicting a cell terrestrial
conversion efficiency of 40¿ at 300 suns concentration. Having become today¿s predominant cell
for space satellites that cell is now entering high volume production for terrestrial
Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) systems. Since joining JX Crystals Dr. Fraas has pioneered the
development of various thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems based on the new GaSb infrared
sensitive PV cell. Dr. Fraas holds degrees from Caltech (B.Sc. Physics) Harvard (M. A. Applied
Physics) and USC (Ph.D. EE).
