Low-Cost Solar Electric Power

This book describes recent breakthroughs that promise major cost reductions in solar energy production in a clear and highly accessible manner. The authors address 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 since1975. 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).

Dr. Fraas has been active in the development of Solar Cells and Solar Electric Power Systems for space and terrestrial applications since 1975. He led the research team at Boeing that demonstrated the first GaAs/GaSb tandem concentrator solar cell in 1989 with a world record energy conversion efficiency of 35%.  He received awards from Boeing and NASA for this work. 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.

Dr. Fraas joined JX Crystals in 1993, where he has led the development of advanced solar cells and concentrated sunlight systems. At JX Crystals, he pioneered the development of various thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems based on the new GaSb infrared sensitive PV cell.  In 1978 while at Hughes Research Labs, he published a pioneering paper proposing the InGaP/GaInAs/Ge triple junction solar cell predicting a cell terrestrial conversion efficiency of 40% at 300 suns concentration.  This 40% efficiency has now been achieved and this cell is the predominant cell today for space satellites.  It is now entering high volume production for terrestrial Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) systems.  

Dr Fraas holds degrees from Caltech (B.Sc. Physics), Harvard (M. A. Applied Physics), and USC (Ph.D. EE).  At Caltech, he studied Physics with Prof. Richard P. Feynman.  Dr. Fraas has written over 350 technical papers, over 60 patents, and a book entitled Path to Affordable Solar Electric Power & The 35% Efficient Solar Cell (2005).  He is co-editor and co-author of a Wiley book entitled Solar Cells and Their Applications (2nd Edition) published in 2010. 

Mark O’Neill has been active in the development of solar energy systems for space and ground applications since 1969 when he began his engineering career at Lockheed in Huntsville, Alabama, doing research for NASA. In 1972, he proposed a NASA spin-off program which led to the demonstration of the first solar-cooled house at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.  In 1974, O’Neill joined a small firm in Dallas, Texas, where he developed the first commercially available Fresnel lens solar concentrator system.  In 1975, O’Neill invented a performance-optimized Fresnel lens solar concentrator and licensed the patent to a large Dallas firm, E-Systems.  While at E-Systems, O’Neill proposed and won a number of significant contracts from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support the development and demonstration of photovoltaic concentrator systems based on his optimized lens.  These systems proved to be the highest performing PV systems of all types demonstrated by the DOE around the country.  In 1983, O’Neill and some colleagues purchased the solar division from E-Systems and established the new company, ENTECH Inc.  ENTECH became a leader in the field of photovoltaic concentrators, winning significant contracts from DOE, DOD, Sandia National Labs, National Renewable Energy Lab, and multiple utility firms.  In 1986, O’Neill proposed a space photovoltaic concentrator system to NASA, and began a long relationship that culminated in a number of successful space flights, including the award-winning SCARLET (solar concentrator array using refractive linear element technology) array on Deep Space 1.  That 1998-2001 mission used the SCARLET array to power ion thrusters to visit an asteroid and a comet.  NASA and DOD funded many follow-on programs to improve the Fresnel lens photovoltaic concentrator systems.  After ENTECH was acquired in 2008, O’Neill remained with the acquiring firm until 2011, when he formed Mark O’Neill, LLC (www.markoneill.com), which has continued performing contracts for NASA and aerospace firms related to space photovoltaic arrays, and research in other areas including ultra-bright traffic stripes and daylighting.

O’Neill received his B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from Notre Dame in 1968, and has done graduate studies in mechanical engineering at other schools.  O’Neill holds 23 U.S. patents on solar concentrators, prismatic cell covers,, daylighting, and retroreflective traffic stripes.  He has authored over 200 publications, including chapters on photovoltaic concentrators in two books, Solar Cells and their Applications (1995 Wiley) and Photovoltaics for Space: Key Issues, Missions and Alternative Technologies (2022 Elsevier).  O’Neill has won a number of awards, including a NASA TGIR (turning goals into reality) award in 2001, a NASA Exceptional Space Act Cash Award (2012), and an R&D 100 Award in 2012.  O’Neill has collaborated with Dr. Lew Fraas since 1989 on programs using Fraas’s photovoltaic cells under O’Neill’s Fresnel lenses.