Exactly. You've hit the nail on the head. Much of the hype surrounding thin film and "high efficiency" concentrator type PV cells are just that "SMOKE & MIRRORS"
The true measure of solar conversion efficiency is the % of sunlight energy converted for the AREA of the ENTIRE SYSTEM (not just of the PV cell itself, which is what PV cell concentrators tend to hype up - but leave out the entire system data).
The true comparison of costs is the COST OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM per W of electricity actually produced, including panel and module assembly, transport and installation costs (not just the cost of the PV cell - which is what thin film technology companies tend to give, without the entire system costs)
Just how significant ENTIRE SYSTEM ENERGY EFFICIENCY is, can be seen from this NR by Sunpower about its SPR-315 solar panel using its new 22% efficience Gen 2 PC cells:
"Compared with conventional solar panels, the new SPR-315 allows customers to generate up to 50 percent more power per square foot of roof area with half as many panels."
Bear in mind Sunpower are making the comparison between their Monocrsytalline 22% efficiency cell based panels and those by other PV cells based panels also using conventional polysilicon wafers, with conversion efficiencies of around 15%.
The difference of power produced per square foot of roof area between Mono and Multi based wafer systems, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, thin filmed filmed based systems is even greater - between 200% and 400% or even more.
As for Boeing's claims of 41% efficiency cells, this is just based on lab tests - it will take years for them to build and test actual systems in the field and give the results of true total system efficiencies and durablity!
For the time being the only commercial application I can see for Boeing's PV cells may be to power satellites
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