The detailed balance limit for solar cells presented by Shockley and Queisser in 1961 describes the ultimate efficiency of an ideal p-n junction solar cell illuminated by a black body with a surface temperature of 6000 K. Today the AM 1.5G spectrum is the standard spectrum for non-concentrated photovoltaic conversion, taking light absorption and scattering in the atmosphere into account. New photovoltaic materials are investigated every day, but tabulated values to estimate their performance limits are difficult to find. Here values of the maximum short circuit current density (J(sc)), open circuit voltage (V-oc), light to electric power conversion efficiency (eta) as well as current density (J(mpp)) and voltage (V-mpp) at the maximum power point are presented as a function of the light absorbers' band gap energy. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.