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High Concentrator PhotoVoltaics efficiencies: Present status and forecast
Abstract
Photovoltaic devices are in a mature technological stage with a long and wide field experience; but if this source of energy wants to compete against other renewable energy sources or even to get into the traditional energy generation system, it is necessary a novel scientific progress in the behavior of these photovoltaic systems. In this challenge is where High Concentrator Photovoltaic technology can have a main role, as it has proved, in the last researches published, to have the potential to achieve high levels of energy conversion performance. In this paper, it is described a brief summary of the CPV state of the art, as well as it is forecast some efficiencies values up to 2015, where a CPV module could reach 40% of efficiency, while the global CPV system could achieve approximately a 32%.
... In general, the concentrators for the concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) can be classified into two types, refractive and reflective concentrators, for example, the Fresnel lens and the parabolic dish CPV systems [1]. Though the CPV systems have lower costs and higher output power [2] than flat panel PV, there still remain some major issues, such as the non-uniformity of the light distribution on the PV module. ...
... To explicitly figure out the size of each cell under distribution of ideal Gaussian spot, in view of the current of each tandem cell among those parallel-connected units should be equal, and it is current matching, we considered that the I (2K−1) is equal to 2,3,4,5), which corresponds to the number marked in Figure 5. And the following equations of the three frontier units in Figure 5 can be derived. ...
... Considering the serial/parallel connections, under the Gaussianlike spot in modified situation, the short-circuit currents among uniform and non-uniform-sized cells can be analyzed with Equation (2), which are respectively presented in Tables 1 and 2. Owing to the limitation of the serious and parallel interaction between each cell, the output characteristics of the dense-array is pulled down by the cell with the weakest light intensity. Therefore, under the condition of no homogeneous optical element, the non-uniform-sized module provides a better performance than the classic one in the short-circuit current and the output power. ...
To reduce the efficiency reduction caused by non-uniformity of illumination, a dense-array module with non-uniform sizing of photovoltaic (PV) cells is proposed for dish-type concentrating PV systems. The non-uniform-sized dense-array module has been designed and analyzed theoretically at the ideal irradiance of Gaussian distribution, which consists of 48 silicone solar cells. Using the ZEMAX optical simulation software, the realistic distribution of the Gaussian-like facula on the PV module has been modelled in a dish-type concentrator system. The experiments are done under the conditions of different alignments to imitate the different two-axis tracking accuracy with or without a homogenizer. Besides, the performances of dense-array modules with the classical uniform-sized and the proposed non-uniform-sized PV cells are analyzed under various illumination distributions using ZEMAX, respectively. Results show that when the deviation angle of tracking is 0, 0.02, 0.2, the photoelectric conversion efficiency and output power of the proposed non-uniform size dense-array module considerably exceeds the traditional uniform size module. Furthermore, when the tracking deviation angle is no more than 0.02°, it is a very definite possibility that the dish-type concentrator system with non-uniform-sized dense-array module need not a homogenizer as a secondary optical element, which may hence simplify the system structure.
... One of the possible solutions to increase efficiency in PV technology is to utilise sunlight, which is concentrated on high-efficiency solar cells by certain optical components [21,22]. Such systems (called CPV systems) have three principal parts: First of all, they contain special optics capable of reducing the amount of necessary photosensitive material and ensuring both technical [21] and environmental advantages [23]. ...
... One of the possible solutions to increase efficiency in PV technology is to utilise sunlight, which is concentrated on high-efficiency solar cells by certain optical components [21,22]. Such systems (called CPV systems) have three principal parts: First of all, they contain special optics capable of reducing the amount of necessary photosensitive material and ensuring both technical [21] and environmental advantages [23]. Secondly, there is a tracking mechanism to maintain the optimal alignment of the rays of the Sun and the optics system. ...
... Unlike in other, traditional systems, the PV cells of CPV installations do not consist of conventional silicon wafers but so-called triple-junction (3J) converters [14,24,25]. Their higher cell efficiency, which is remarkable compared to silicon technologies, is based on the fact that each of their three layers transforms a specific narrow band of solar radiation into electric energy [21,[26][27][28]. As for their operation at higher temperatures, they are far less sensitive than silicon cells, which makes them suitable for use in solar concentration systems. ...
The accuracy and reliability of solar tracking greatly impacts the performance of concentrator photovoltaic modules (CPV). Thus, it is of utmost significance to know how deviations in tracking influence CPV module power. In this work, the positioning characteristics of CPV modules compared to the focus points were investigated. The performance of CPV modules mounted on a dual-axis tracking system was analysed as a function of their orientation and inclination. The actual experiment was carried out with CPV cells of 3 mm in diameter. By using a dual tracking system under real weather conditions, the module's position was gradually modified until the inclination differed by 5° relative to the optimal position of the focus point of the CPV module. The difference in inclination was established by the perfect perpendicularity to the Sun's rays. The results obtained specifically for CPV technology help determine the level of accuracy that solar tracking photovoltaic systems are required to have to keep the loss in power yield under a certain level. Moreover, this power yield loss also demonstrated that the performance insensitivity thresholds of the CPV modules did not depend on the directions of the alterations in azimuthal alignment. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that earlier, no information had been found regarding the tracking insensitivity point in CPV technologies. A further analysis was carried out to compare the yield of CPV to other, conventional photovoltaic technologies under real Central European climate conditions. It was shown that CPV needs a sun tracking accuracy of at least 0.5° in order to surpass the yield of other PV technologies. Besides providing an insight into the tracking error values of solar tracking sensors, it is believed that the results might facilitate the planning of solar tracking sensor investments as well as the economic calculations related to 3 mm cell diameter CPV system investments.
... Some efficiencies recorded have reached the 40% mark. In recent years, these systems have demonstrated the potential of being a financially viable option due to the reduction of their footprint when installed while utilizing fewer semiconductor materials for their cells, hence offering a balance to the overall cost [20]. ...
... However, these modules are more cost-effective than HCPV and can be very reliable if their design allows good uniform irradiance collection and temperature control. These modules are made in some occasions with c-Si cells, which make them a very attractive option for the market [20]. ...
... By concentrating a higher level of irradiance, these collectors improve system efficiency and at the same time reduce costs for PV and thermal applications. The current installed capacity of this type of CPV plant is circa X MWs [20]. ...
Knowing the climate change impacts of the energy sector, a focus is made on promoting environmentally friendly technologies. On the other side, the increasing energy demands give new opportunities for power generation. Renewable energy sources can generate energy and they seem to be more sustainable when compared to fossil fuel energy sources. Among these renewables, energy from the sun, that is, solar energy seems to be available in abundant capacities. It is a clean and inexhaustible energy that can be harvested using photovoltaic (PV) devices. These devices generate electricity when sunlight is incident. The generation potential depends on various factors such as the intensity of the solar light, local weather conditions, and the type of PV material. This chapter provides brief information on different photovoltaic technologies that are currently available on the market. In addition, it presents a few novel module concepts, and sheds light on measures that are taken to improve traditional PV modules. The performance characteristics of PV modules as well as various faults and diagnosis methods are also discussed. Finally, attention is drawn to degradation mechanisms and service life as well as standards and procedures for module testing.
... However, the efficiency of this technology is currently limited to around 20% for most practical systems. Although above-Shockley-Queisser performance has been demonstrated in multijunction photovoltaics (MPV) and concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) [102], these alternatives have not seen widespread utilization due to higher complexity and associated costs. ...
... For emitter electron affinity, we considered a value of 1 eV and the theoretical value of 120 A cm -2 K -2 was used for the Richardson constant for thermionic current calculations.For incident solar radiation, we considered the AM 1.5 direct plus circumsolar spectrum concentrated by different concentration ratios used in this study. The upper level of the solar concentration factor used in this study (500 x) is based on practically achievable solar concentration ratios, as shown in both commercial and laboratory-based CPV systems[102]. We have chosen p-type doping in the emitter to maximize the photon enhancement effect in case this mode occurs during the solar cell's operation. ...
Thermionic converters are promising candidates for static heat-to-electricity conversion due to their flexible form factor, low maintenance requirement, high power density, and potential for high efficiency. However, practical applications of thermionic converters have been hindered in the past by various engineering challenges such as the space charge effect and lack of materials
with desirable properties. With the advent of microfabrication and nanotechnology, there has been renewed interest in thermionic conversion in the recent past. In particular, the micro-gap architecture has drawn significant attention as an elegant solution to mitigate the space charge effect. For example, micro-gap thermionic converters could enable chip-scale power generators. However, to make this a reality, apart from overcoming the engineering challenges, a
thorough understanding of the devices' operation is necessary. The work presented in this thesis addresses this need by laying a foundation for multiphysics computational models for micro-gap thermionic converters both for single-stage devices and for various hybrid configurations including
other mechanisms. For the single-stage thermionic converter, we develop self-consistent iterative models that consider the thermal and charge balance to accurately determine the electrode temperatures, space charge, thermal radiative coupling between the electrodes and its possible enhancement at small
gaps due to the near-field effect, and the electrical and thermal losses in the lead resistance. This model shows how the micro-gap device performance and electrode temperatures are affected by the interelectrode gap size under the constraint of finite input power. Moreover, we reveal how the cathode material and its thermal coupling with the input energy source determine the nature of the device's response to light and its combined photo-thermionic behaviour. We also develop multiphysics models to investigate the prospects of hybrid thermionicthermoelectric and thermionic-photovoltaic devices. We show that these different mechanisms can
be operated in a complementary manner due to their different optimal temperature ranges of operation. Additionally, we show that, depending on the conversion mechanism of the second stage, such a hybrid device may or may not be more efficient than a single thermionic device. The above models represent a powerful approach to designing thermionic converters, developing new device concepts, and understanding their operation.
... These economic and ecological benefits are achievable by applying low-cost optical devices and low semiconductor material employment [11,12]. In general, CPV systems are differentiated, according to the concentration factor, into a low-concentrated photovoltaic system (LCPV), medium-(MCPV), or high-concentrated photovoltaic system (HCPV) [13,14]. CPV can also operate in ultra-high-concentrated PV implementations (UHCPV) [15]. ...
... CPV can also operate in ultra-high-concentrated PV implementations (UHCPV) [15]. However, most of the globally installed capacity of CPV systems is based on HCPV technologies [16,17], simultaneously having the best perspective on cost reduction [14]. Efficiency is, thus, key to the return on investment to ultimately decrease the cost of energy in the future [18]. ...
This paper presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis of a new, high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) technology developed as part of the HIPERION project of hybrid photovoltaics for efficiency record using an integrated optical technology. In the LCA calculations, the production stage of a full module was adopted as a functional unit. SimaPro version 9.00.49, the recent Ecoinvent database (3.8), and the IPCC 2021 GWP 100a environmental model were applied to perform the calculations. The environmental impact of the HCPV panel was determined for constructional data and for recycling of the main elements of the module. The results of the calculations show that recycling of PMMA, rubber, and electronic elements reduced the total carbon footprint by 17%, from 240 to 201 kg CO2-eq. The biggest environmental load was generated by the PV cells: 99.9 kg CO2eq., which corresponds to 49.8% (41.7% without recycling) of the total environmental load due to the large number of solar cells used in the construction. The emission of CO2 over a 25-year lifespan was determined from 17.1 to 23.4 g CO2-eq/kWh (20.4 to 27.9 without recycling), depending on the location. The energy payback time (EPBT) for the analyzed module is 0.87 and 1.19 years, depending on the location and the related insolation factors (Madrid: 470 kWh/m2, Lyon: 344 kWh/m2). The results of the calculations proved that the application of recycling and recovery methods for solar cells can improve the sustainability of the photovoltaic industry.
... For an accurate simulation, modeling of the compound influence of these factors and mathematical formulation of the cell conversion efficiency is needed. The cell conversion efficiency decreases with increase in the cell temperature, as mentioned in the literature [36]. Although the cell temperature should be modeled as a function of irradiance, ambient temperature, and wind speed, longer-term experiments and detailed analyses should be conducted to validate the model. ...
... This simplification did not cause severe errors, at least when compared to the measured power in a shortterm experiment mentioned later in the paper. The relatively low CPV cell efficiency is because the CPV cell used in this study (Tai-Crystal International Technology Co., Ltd.; High efficiency 2.5 Â 2.5 CPV solar cell) was originally designed for HCPVs, i.e., 42% efficiency under 1000 suns, and because the CPV cell efficiency decreases with lowering of the concentration ratio [36,37]. It is noted that some mathematical models on CPV and PV cells have been reported (e.g. ...
High-efficiency solar energy is an emerging technology which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A four-terminal (4T) partial concentrator photovoltaic (CPV⁺) is a promising hybrid concept to maximize the electricity yield by integrating existing photovoltaic technologies. This paper describes the mathematical modeling of a 4T CPV⁺ module for sun-tracking control optimization. The CPV⁺ module consists of low-cost auxiliary solar cells placed around the concentrator multijunction solar cells. We derived a mathematical model to predict the generated power of the 4T CPV⁺ module that incorporates inclination angle of array, location, date/time, lens optical efficiency, and solar irradiance data. The simulation revealed that the 4T CPV⁺ module with mono-facial auxiliary solar cells should always face toward the sun, similar to the conventional CPV modules, regardless of irradiance conditions. The short-term outdoor experiment using a prototype module validated the mathematical model and stayed within the margin error for generated power-per-unit module area (∼14 W/m²). The derived model will be fundamental for enhanced modeling and design optimization of the 4T CPV⁺ module.
... This makes them a cost-effective (Maka and O'Donovan, 2020) and sustainable solution (Fernández et al., 2017) for meeting the energy needs of both urban and rural areas (Almonacid et al., 2012). CPV systems can track the sun's movement throughout the day J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f (Soria-Moya et al., 2015), ensuring that they always receive direct sunlight (Pérez-Higueras et al., 2011). This feature allows them to produce electricity for a longer period of time (Ghosal et al., 2013), making them ideal for regions with high solar radiation and fluctuating weather conditions (FernándezFernández et al., 2014a). ...
This research paper proposes a novel multi-model approach, integrating the CARIMA-SARIMAGPM framework, to assess the combined impacts of climate change and land use change on the potential of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems. By considering both climatic variables and land use patterns, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these factors influence CPV performance in the context of a changing environment. The proposed methodology offers valuable insights into the future viability and sustainability of CPV technology, enabling informed decision-making for policymakers, energy planners, and investors in the Middle East and Africa. As a result, the ability of the hybrid evolutionary CARIMA-SARIMA-GPM to predict the potential of CPV energy output for assessing the impacts of climate change on it was investigated in Alice Springs, the Middle East, and Africa. The outcome showed that the hybrid model significantly outperformed the other machine learning approaches. The fitted model was used to assess the potential impacts of climate change on CPV generation in Alice Springs, Australia, as well as the Middle East's and Africa's comparable climatic conditions. According to the study, climate change had the greatest impact on solar CPV energy production in Alice Springs, where it decreased the most by 8.577% under moderate forcing scenarios (SSP245) during the boreal summer season; moderately in the Middle East, where it decreased the mode by 2.316% under mitigation scenarios (SSP126) during the boreal summer season; and extremely minimally in Africa, where it decreased the mode by 1.263% under the far future sequencing period (20512099). Climate change also increased solar CPV energy production significantly in the Middle East in the far future sequencing period (2051–2099), as well as in Alice Springs, Australia, and Africa in the near future sequencing period (2015–2050). The strongest forcing scenario (SSP585) increased by 7.644% during the boreal autumn season in Africa; moderately increased by 6.502% during the boreal spring season in the Middle East; and had the least beneficial effects in Alice Springs, Australia, with increases of 5.538% during the boreal winter season. On an annual basis, all three regions showed a similar trend. Climate change (CLC) and urban expansion (URE) were also investigated in the Middle East and Africa for their effects on changes in solar CPV energy output. URE had a greater impact in Africa than the Middle East under the effective scenario, with a URE value of 45.45% for Africa and 20.15% for the Middle East, whereas CLC had a greater impact in the Middle East than Africa, with a CLC value of 29.01% compared to 5.47% for Africa. Journal Pre-proof2 CLC and CPV residual factors, on the other hand, have a greater impact in the Middle East than in Africa, with effects of 29.01% and 50.83%, respectively, compared to 5.47% and 49.09%. The potential difference that drives the remediation of specific pollutants lies in the application of advanced technologies and sustainable practices. By exploring innovative solutions, such as using renewable energy sources like concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems, we can effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change and land use changes on pollutant concentrations. These technologies have the potential to significantly reduce pollution levels and create a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations. Assessing the CPV potential in different regions like Alice Springs, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa allows us to identify areas with high solar energy resources that can be harnessed for efficient pollutant remediation. Implementing prompt climate mitigation and adaptation measures is crucial for achieving a net-zero energy transition in the Middle East and Africa by 2050. In this context, prioritizing solar energy as the primary source of renewable energy is imperative for successful low-carbon economic planning in these regions.
... Multi-junction cells can be considered as the most advanced approach since the conversion efficiency of these cells can reach more than 46% [7,8]. Despite its numerous advantages, this approach has a few drawbacks related to the extremely high manufacturing costs [9], tracking problems caused by the sun tracking system [10,11], optical device losses, and concentration problems [12]. Therefore, the use of down-and up-conversion layers offers several advantages, avoiding or reducing these drawbacks [13]. ...
An efficient quantum cutting mechanism was observed in a system comprising Tb3+−Yb3+ codoped silica hafnia glass and glass-ceramic. Thin films were deposited on silicon substrates using the dip-coating method and photoluminescence dynamics revealed a quantum efficiency of up to 179% at 980 nm. These films can efficiently convert light to lower energy levels and can easily be integrated into silicon-based solar cells, increasing their photoelectric conversion efficiency at a low cost. This was demonstrated through electrical characterization, which revealed a boost in solar cell efficiency when the film was utilized. It was specifically noted that the efficiency of Si solar cells increased by 10.79% and 10.78% when covered with 70SiO2−30HfO2−3Tb3+−12Yb3+ glass and glass ceramic, respectively. Furthermore, an evaluation of the additional external quantum efficiency, derived from this optical system, revealed an improvement ranging from 2.64% to 3.44%. This finding highlights the enhanced light conversion capabilities of the quantum cutting mechanism within the system.
... Another type of third-generation PV cell is called a concentrated PV (CPV) cell. They work like any conventional PV cell, but they consist of multiple junctions and can reach a very high efficiency level of up to 40% [39]. In addition to that, CPV cells can withstand high temperatures and can still be three times more efficient than traditional solar PV systems. ...
Over the past decade, energy demand has witnessed a drastic increase, mainly due to huge development in the industry sector and growing populations. This has led to the global utilization of renewable energy resources and technologies to meet this high demand, as fossil fuels are bound to end and are causing harm to the environment. Solar PV (photovoltaic) systems are a renewable energy technology that allows the utilization of solar energy directly from the sun to meet electricity demands. Solar PV has the potential to create a reliable, clean and stable energy systems for the future. This paper discusses the different types and generations of solar PV technologies available, as well as several important applications of solar PV systems, which are “Large-Scale Solar PV”, “Residential Solar PV”, “Green Hydrogen”, “Water Desalination” and “Transportation”. This paper also provides research on the number of solar papers and their applications that relate to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the years between 2011 and 2021. A total of 126,513 papers were analyzed. The results show that 72% of these papers are within SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. This shows that there is a lack of research in solar energy regarding the SDGs, especially SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequality and SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. More research is needed in these fields to create a sustainable world with solar PV technologies.
... This problem can be solved by using optical concentrators, which gather sunlight from a wider area and focus on a smaller area. Optical concentrators increase the intensity of solar radiation incident on a target surface (Pérez-Higueras et al., 2011). As compared to a flat PV module, the concentrated PV system requires comparatively lesser silicon material to produce the same output (Reis et al., 2010). ...
The amount of electrical energy produced by a given solar photovoltaic module can be increased by
using concentrated solar radiation. The task can be accomplished by integrating optical concentrators
with flat PV modules. Compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) have emerged as one of the best
options for concentrating PV applications due to their ability to collect both direct and diffuse solar
radiation and being suitable for stationary installation. Over the last few decades, various designs of
CPCs have been proposed and investigated by many researchers for concentrating PV applications. This
article presents a comprehensive review of recent developments in CPC designs and applications for
PV systems. This work mainly focuses on identifying the major challenges and research opportunities
related to the design and development of CPCs, rendering them more beneficial for solar energy
conversion. It has been found that although the outputs of CPC-based PV systems are superior to
their counterparts without CPCs, some challenges still exist that need to be addressed to enable the
commercialization of CPC-based solar systems. The primary sources of energy losses in CPCs include
imperfections in the reflecting surfaces, non-uniform solar flux distribution on the receiver surface,
solar cell series resistance, increased solar cell temperature due to solar radiation concentration, and
relatively low concentration ratios achievable by CPCs. Finally, future recommendations have been
outlined, highlighting the potential research opportunities and challenges being faced by prospective
researchers working in the field of low concentrating solar PV systems.
... The purpose of CPV is to collect beam radiation and scattered radiation, which are then concentrated on the solar cells [22]. There are three types of CPV, based on the factor of concentration, which are low concentration (1-40x), medium concentration (40-300x), and high concentration (HCPV) (300-2000x) [23]. HCPV is the most potential as it has the highest efficiency [24]. ...
Renewable energy (RE) is the key element of sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective electricity generation. An official report by International Energy Agency (IEA) states that the demand on fossil fuel usage to generate electricity has started to decrease since year 2019, along with the rise of RE usage to supply global energy demands. Researches on RE technologies are continuously growing in order to enhance the performance of RE generation, especially in term of energy conversion efficiency. The aim of this review paper is to understand and study further the current RE technologies such as solar energy, hydro energy, wind energy, bioenergy, geothermal energy, and hydrogen energy. Several hybrid RE technologies have been also studied and compared, to improve the overall performance of RE in generating electricity. Lastly, suggestions are provided for the purpose to solve and overcome the challenges and limitations of RE technologies in terms of economy, technical, and energy conversion efficiency.
... Because of this structural feature, CPV systems can achieve higher energy conversion efficiency at a cheaper cost over time than other solar cell technologies [6]. The classification based on the concentration factor includes low concentration (LCPV) with concentration ratio of 1-3x that used in silicon modules, medium concentration (MCPV) with concentration ratios between of 3 and-100x that are used with silicon modules or other concentrator cells and high concentration (HCPV) with concentration ratios higher than 400x that used mainly within multijunction modules [7]. PV module performance parameters, such as short circuit current (Isc), open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), and efficiency (η) are influenced by external factors such as environmental temperature, sunlight intensity level, and wind speed. ...
Cell temperature is a critical factor that is frequently neglected when the performance of solar cells is estimated. Its effect is especially crucial in high-illumination, high-temperature circumstances in various terrestrial hybrid systems. This study shows how the electric energy generation of a mono-crystalline silicon solar cell varies with light
concentration level if the thermal dissipation of the module is considered. This paper introduced a literature method of solar
cell parameters extraction and model verification. The effects of
solar insolation G and cell temperature T are evaluated. In this
work, an analysis has been carried out to evaluate the electrical
and thermal performance of the CPV model. It assesses
temperature-dependent solar cell performance under
concentrated illumination. The results indicate that the
efficiency of full spectrum concentrated Si PV cells increases
with concentration, but at a certain point the negative effects of
the temperature rise of the PV-cell will suppress positive effects
of light concentration and the efficiency starts to decrease again.
The PV cell efficiency of concentrated visible light spectrum is
higher than the efficiency of full spectrum illumination at the
same concentration level due to its lower temperature. The
proposed model describes an easy method to estimate the
optimal concentration level for a solar cell based on the cell’s
datasheet and the parameters of the applied heat sink.
... The scientists in NREL have pioneered the advent of GaInP/GaAs dual-junction cell [16], along with continuous further successes on achieving the highest conversion efficiency~47.1% of the six-junction inverted metamorphic solar cell [11]. Although such high CPV (HCPV) technology is still in an infancy stage, ongoing attempts in the CPV research community (industry and academy) forecast that the HCPV system could become competitive to the flat module photovoltaic systems in terms of the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), especially advantageous at high direct-normal irradiation (DNI) regions [17]. In essence, the high or even ultra-high CPV system (greater than 300×) can offset the price of a highly efficient CPV system and be economically viable [18], which takes a step forward in relation to the conventional PV one. ...
We have proposed a fruitful design principle targeting a concentration ratio (CR) >1000× for a typical high concentrating photovoltaics (HCPV) system, on account of a two-concentrator system + homogenizer. The principle of a primary dual-lens concentrator unit, completely analogous basic optics seen in the superposition compound eyes, is a trend not hitherto reported for solar concentrators to our knowledge. Such a concentrator unit, consisting of two aspherical lenses, can be applied to minify the sunlight and reveal useful effects. We underline that, at this stage, the CR can be attained by two orders of magnitude simply by varying the radius ratio of such two lenses known from the optics side. The output beam is spatially minimized and nearly parallel, exactly as occurs in the superposition compound eye. In our scheme, thanks to such an array of dual-lens design, a sequence of equidistant focal points is formed. The secondary concentrator consists of a multi-reflective channel, which can collect all concentrated beams from the primary concentrator to a small area where a solar cell is placed. The secondary concentrator is located right underneath the primary concentrator. The optical characteristics are substantiated by optical simulations that confirm the applicability of thousands-fold gain in CR value, ~1100×. This, however, also reduced the uniformity of the illumination area. To regain the uniformity, we devise a fully new homogenizer, hinging on the scattering principle. A calculated optical efficiency for the entire system is ~75%. Experimentally, a prototype of such a dual-lens concentrator is implemented to evaluate the converging features. As a final note, we mention that the approach may be extended to implement an even higher CR, be it simply by taking an extra concentrator unit. With simple design of the concentrator part, which may allow the fabrication process by modeling method and large acceptant angle (0.6°), we assess its large potential as part of a general strategy to implement a highly efficient CPV system, with minimal critical elaboration steps and large flexibility.
... Las células fotovoltaicas de los módulos HCPV pueden ser de dos tipos: silicio de alta eficiencia y multi-unión (MJ) basadas en semiconductores de los grupos III-V (Pérez-Higueras et al., 2011). Las células multi-unión producen electricidad por un mecanismo parecido al de las células de silicio, pero logran una eficiencia más elevada debido a que son sensibles a un mayor espectro de la luz solar. ...
En este artículo se evalua el desempeño por apuntamiento de una serie de estrategias de control para seguidores solares de alta concentracion. Dado el alto grado de precisión que se necesita en el apuntamiento real, por debajo del semi ángulo de aceptancia global del sistema de captacion de energía, en el artículo se revisan las incertidumbres mas características del montaje de un seguidor solar, y se establece un marco teorico que permite representar imperfecciones de montaje en forma de relaciones de rotación de marcos de referencias asociados a los elementos del seguidor. Se expone un proceso de calibracion del sistema en dos etapas, que permite estimar incertidumbres parametricas de las rotaciones. Finalmente, se analizan cinco estrategias de control y los resultados experimentales obtenidos con ellas al implementarlas sobre un seguidor solar HCPV industrial de altas prestaciones. Los resultados muestran que con el sistema bien calibrado, todas las estrategias proporcionan un desempeno similar. Sin embargo, solo la basada en realimentacion en potencia es suficientemente robusta como para proporcionar buen desempeño cuando el sistema de descalibra.
... However, undoubtedly, CPV technology has paved the way for fewer semiconductor materials uses, by default, which allows notable reduction of the intrinsic/inherent environmental issues, ranging from the rare materials' availability and toxic material use to recycling cost of flat panel PV systems. Therefore, CPV is definitely an alternative technology to conventional PV in spite of the many questions and doubts (Pérez-Higueras et al., 2011). ...
We here invent an implicitly new optical device - cylindrical Fresnel lenses historically used in the decades-old lighthouse concentrator to find application in the field of concentrator photovoltaic, with numerous demonstrations of exotic features in optics. The precious attribute of such a solar concentrator is its ability to grant a focal point sequence, essentially distributed over an arc at any light incidence. The other striking merit of this design is its high acceptance angle, about 60°, at hand and even up to 90°, ideally. We have applied this approach to a simplified principle-of-concept model that closely depicts the octagonal cylindrical Fresnel lens in essence. This convergence feature was evidenced in a mock-up model through optical simulation and further consolidated by electrical characteristics analysis. Specifically, the simulation affirmed that an optimal structure can attain a concentration ratio of ∼23 and an optical efficiency of ∼70%. We indeed confirmed through an outdoor experiment a 16-fold improvement of current gain, which was close to the simulation result. Of further exceptional interest in such a design is its compatibility with two mature common tracking mechanisms: daily or yearly single-axis tracking, leaving room for design compromises. This design leaves ample margins for simple and low-cost light couplers, which are advantageous in affordable concentrator photovoltaic systems. In addition, the quantitative assessment unravelled that the generated power can be enhanced 1.3× in comparison with the flat Silic panel. We describe the potential realization of the large-scale of the model, making this solar concentrator amenable to commercialization.
... For large photovoltaic panels, a spectrum of Fresnel lenses is proposed in most cases [3,4]. As the sunrays are concentrated on a smaller surface, the temperature of PV cells under concentrated illumination increases [5] by means of a decrease in efficiency [6]; then cooling systems are necessary to avoid overheating [7]. There are some possibilities to cool the PV panels by combining them with thermal collectors (T-PV) [8], application of phase change materials (PCM) [9] or the removal of heat through a water channel [10]. ...
The use of concentrated solar irradiation for the improvement of electric generation improvement has been implemented on different scales, mainly in photovoltaic systems. High-concentration Fresnel lenses are widely chosen for this approach in large installations, while low-concentration systems are rather applied in medium-low scales. For the latter, the improvement on electric performance was revealed, even when no solar tracking was implemented. The presented work aims to analyse a low-concentration photovoltaic installation by a numerical approach. First, the reflective surfaces were designed geometrically considering the optimal slope determined for each month. Subsequently, different simulation techniques were used separately for prediction of solar irradiation and energy production. Three criteria were selected to analyze power generation: the highest increase in total annual solar irradiance on panels with reflective surfaces, the highest total annual solar irradiance collected, and the optimal slope of panels for the entire year. The increase in energy was found to not exceed 10% in the winter months. Whereas in the spring and summer months the energy improvement is about 15–20%. Moreover, it was observed that the temperature of the proposed concentration photovoltaic system increased significantly, reaching more than 90 °C, while for traditional PV panels it did not exceed 75 °C.
... Concentrating photovoltaic panels fall into three main categories, based on intensifying the received solar insolation. The concentration ratio (CR) ranges between 300 and 2000 for the high, 40 to 300 for the medium, 1 to 40 for the low and concentrating photovoltaics [6] . ...
Since reducing the local temperature of the solar cell boosts the performance of a concentrating photovoltaic–thermal, a microchannel heat sink technique is employed. Two hybrid nanofluids, Water-Aluminum oxide-Carbon Nanotube (water-Al2O3-CNT) and Water-Silver-Zinc Oxide (water-Ag-ZnO), are selected as the working fluids. The numerical model is designed in ANSYS CFX environment and the energetic and exergetic performance of the unit are taken into account. Reynolds number and nanoparticles volume fractions are the main variables for this simulation. The outcome of this study shows that more effective reduction in the cell temperature is achieved by using hybrid nanofluids compared to the pure water, in particular at lower Reynolds numbers. In detail, at Reynolds number equal to 10, it is observed that the electrical efficiency for water-Al2O3-CNT and water-Ag-ZnO nanofluids grow by 3% and 2%, respectively. Likewise, the exergy efficiency of the Concentrating Photovoltaic–Thermal panel is remarkably enhanced by taking advantage of the hybrid nanofluids. Finally, it can be concluded that employing hybrid nanofluids in solar systems could technically yield a desirable performance.
... The CR of the concentration photovoltaic systems can be divided into four categories: low (LCPV), medium (MCPV), high (HCPV), and ultra-high (UHCPV) ratio with CR of , , , and (>2000), respectively. 5 Various cooling systems, including passive and active cooling methods, have been discussed and investigated in the literature to obtain a good thermal control of the concentrating photovoltaic systems. The passive cooling uses independent devices such finned metal strips, 6 phase change materials (PCM), 7 flat plates, 8 and heat pipes, 9 whereas to perform active cooling, external devices such as fan and pumps are required. ...
The present work is carrying out the performance of an actively cooled Fresnel-based single-cell ultra-high concentration photovoltaic/thermal (UHCPV/T) system under concentration ratios (CR)s ranged between 500Â and 2500Â. Four cooling finned heat sink designs have been studied, that is, the in-line cylindrical pin fins (ICY), staggered cylindrical pin fins (SCY), in-line conical pin fins (ICO), and staggered conical pin fins (SCO). The analysis was performed to study and optimize the maximum operating MJSC temperature , coolant flow outlet temperature, pressure drop across, and the thermal, electrical, and overall efficiency enhancement of the whole Fresnel-based UHCVP/T system. The numerical model has been first validated and then used to simulate the impact of the concentration ratio and Reynolds number on the limitations and records of each cooling finned design of the UHCPV/T. It was found that even though the aluminum-based-ICO pin fins heat sink can achieve the optimum overall efficiency of 80.20% under 2000Â and Re of 428; yet the aluminum-based ICY is the most appropriate pin-fins heat sink design for desalination purposes since it corresponds to the highest water outlet temperature of 66.16 C with a second-ranked overall efficiency of 72.5% under the same operating conditions.
... The new technology, III-IV generation MJ solar cells, offer high efficiencies exceeding 47% at high concentration compared to traditional solar cells made of a single layer of semiconductor material [3] [4]. By using smaller PV cells and by using glasses or reflectors for multiplying the solar radiation, it can produce greater efficiency at a lower cost [5] [6]. Of course, the expectation is that the replacement of the expensive PV solar cells by lower-cost optical material (lenses or mirrors) may lead to some savings in system costs. ...
One approach to increase performance and efficiency of solar technology is through the Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV). By using smaller high efficiency PV solar cells with reflectors or glasses and utilization of passive cooling system, it can significantly produce greater efficiency at a lower cost than CPV with active cooling system. However, the downside of the high concentration ratio in passive cooling is cell overheating and increased cell degradation. In this study, the utilization of the LMA was done to calculate the optimum fin spacing of the passive heat sink and as well as the baseplate area. A base area of 190mm x 190mm with a 10mm x 10mm cell area was used with the corresponding fin spacing of 10.29mm. Various fin thickness was evaluated, as well as fin number and fin height. Selected numerical model was fabricated and tested under a controlled environment. The experiment was also validated and the result was acceptable. The numerical simulations showed that at 170mm fin height, the heat sink could manage to dissipate heat at which the solar cells operate at its maximum operating limit. At this configuration, there was a 9.898% reduction in heat sink mass compared to the derived LMA dimension, while a 12.468% lesser PV cell temperature. The fabricated heat sink was able to maintain the PV solar cell at 85.282°C under 40°C ambient temperature with a sun concentration of 811.25X and a corresponding 38.367% cell efficiency. The validated model can be integrated to the concentrated solar system as a start for a cheaper HCPV setup and for further improvement. Additionally, this will contribute to the analysis and performance of the passive cooling management for heat sink under a high concentration ratio and as well as validating the optimum configuration from the LMA.
... The ratio of optics surface area to the receiving solar cell area is called geometrical concentration or concentration ratio (CR) typically referred to as "suns or x" where one sun equals to 1000 W m − 2 . Optical solar concentrators can be categorized according to their concentration ratio (CR) as low solar concentrators (CR < 40 suns), medium solar concentrators (40 ≤ CR ≤ 300 suns), and high solar concentrators (CR greater than 300 suns) (Pérez-Higueras et al., 2011). Solar cell overheating is a significant issue related generally to the photovoltaics technology and particularly to the CPV systems due to the irradiance concentration on the cell surface. ...
Enhancing the performance of concentrator photovoltaic cells integrated with passive heat sinks is essential. The objective of the present work is to boost the performance of combined fins and phase change materials (PCMs) as passive cooling for low concentrator photovoltaic systems during phase transition and after complete melting. Thus, a new passive heat sink is presented, including extended aluminum fins outside the PCM container as a viable solution to elongate the PCM melting time and prevent temperature rise after the PCM completely melted. The developed design is compared with other different heat sinks such as fins, aluminum heat sink with PCM, and aluminum heat sink with four parallel cavities filled with PCM. A comprehensive two-dimension model for photovoltaic layers with integrated phase change material and extended fins is developed to predict the average solar cell temperature, conversion efficiency, and energy budget for each design at different concentration ratios. The model is numerically simulated and validated with the available experimental and numerical data. Results indicate that the use of PCM for passive cooling enhances solar cell thermal regulation during solid–liquid phase transition process due to latent heat absorption and maintains the solar cell temperature around 60 °C at concentration ratio of 5 suns. However, the PCM cooling capability is significantly reduced after the dissipation of its latent heat. At concentration ratio of 5, by using an aluminum heat sink with PCM, and with four parallel cavities filled with PCM, the steady state solar cell temperature rises to 120 °C and 125 °C, respectively. However, the developed heat sink with extended aluminum fins outside the PCM container elongates the melting time and prevents temperature rise after the PCM fully melted, sustaining a steady state temperature of around 82 °C. Accordingly, the new design of heat sink is able to maintain the steady state solar cell temperature below the maximum permissible temperature with the capability of storing thermal energy.
... We consider the cases of exposing to the irradiance only the active CPV area and the entire CPVs' area including the support, and in the third case, we use a heat absorber. As concentrator, a plan Fresnel lens is used that allows us to study the HS at low concentrated sun ratio, according to [31], where three sunlight concentrator classes are considered: low concentration class with the rage of 1-40 suns, medium concentration class with the range of 40-300 suns, and high concentration class with the range of 300-2000 suns. ...
The solar energy is increasingly used as a renewable energy source. Raising the efficiency of energy conversion from solar to useful energy (electric and thermal) represents an important research direction in the renewable energy domain. Using hybrid systems for electric and thermal energy cogeneration can be a solution. In this study, a hybrid system (HS) is designed, manufactured, implemented, and experimentally tested under concentrated sunlight with a concentration ratio of 25 suns, obtained using a Fresnel lens as a sunlight concentrator. The HS comprises of four concentrated photovoltaic cells (CPVs), four thermoelectric generators (TEGs), and a solar thermal collector (STC). The HS is studied in three configurations of the exposed surface: only the CPV active area, the CPV active area with ceramic support, and the CPV active area with ceramic support covered with graphite sheet. Results reveal that the efficiency of each system component is affected by the exposed surface. If the efficiencies of the CPVs decrease from 32.3% to 30.8% from the first configuration to the last one, the efficiencies of TEGs and STC increase from 0.12% to 0.44 and from 26.3% to 52.0%, respectively. Increasing the concentration ratio from 25 to 33 suns, the power of the CPVs increases with almost 31%, but the efficiency decreases slightly, instead the efficiencies of the TEGs and STC increase.
... where C g isgeometric concentration ratio andη 0 is the optical efficiency of PV concentrator. CPV are characterized into three categories on the basics of concentration ratio [47]. The concentration factor of sunlight in the range of 2 to 3 suns is referred to as low concentration system, 3 to 100 suns are referred to as the medium concentration system, and more than 400 suns belong to the category of high concentration system [48]. ...
Concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) is a dawn technology in the field of photovoltaic that helps in escalating the effective use of solar energy. Nowadays, applications of photovoltaic solar cells are catching attention due to the better utilization of solar energy. A huge amount of solar energy is received by the earth from the sun, but a barrier to the large-scale use of photovoltaic solar cells is their higher initial cost and lower conversion compared to other non-renewable energy systems. Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV) is one of the vital tools that focus solar radiation on the small area of solar cells using optical devices to maximize solar to thermal conversion. Low cost, high efficiency, and climate-friendly are the main advantages of concentrated photovoltaics. The review study presents the outlook of work conducted worldwide on the different types of concentrated photovoltaics. In addition, the effect of various performance affecting parameters, challenges, and recent progress is also part of the study. Most of the CPV have efficiency up to 15% while some have an efficiency range of 25-28% which is still very low. It was found that the CPV gave maximum efficiency of up to 38.5% at optimal solar radiation. The focus of sunlight on a small area of solar cell increases the temperature of concentrated photovoltaic allegedly pernicious for electrical efficiency and the life of CPV. Factors like direct normal irradiance, high cell temperature , soiling, optical design, reliability, and durability are considered as challenges and a concise summary of various studies on these challenges is presented. In this regard, various cooling techniques have been investigated by different researchers for thermal management of CPV systems which are discussed in detail. As CPV technology is still in the development phase, various new optical designs emphasizing novel designs and materials are also summarized in the current study. Finally, some recommendations are oriented which will be very valuable for those who are working or want to work in the field of photovoltaics. Introduction Fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources are almost on the verge of extinction. So, it is necessary to get energy from renewable energy sources for the benefit of mankind. Solar energy is main source of energy as it is reliable source of energy to meet the energy demands [1,2]. The earth receives a lot of energy from the sun but harvesting of effective and cost-efficient solar energy is becoming more challenging, so photovoltaics technologies are becoming more popular day by day. However, photovoltaics technologies convert only 15-18% of incident solar radiations whereas remaining is converted into heat energy [3]. Higher heat generation and less conversion efficiency make photovoltaic technology costlier and limit its applications [4]. The concentrator photovoltaics technology is one of the best ways to enhance the yield of conversion efficiency by using the approach of focusing sunlight. Concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) also reduce the area of photovoltaic cell which is one of the main economic advantages of CPV. The cost
... 2,3 The CPV technology can be classified by the concentration ratio (CR) into low ratio , medium ratio (40-300), high ratio , and ultra-high ratio (>2000) categories. 4 The temperature increase of the CPV cell is remarkable as the increase of CR because solar energy is highly concentrated and most of the wasted energy is in the form of heat. High temperature has a significant effect on the conversion efficiency of CPV solar cells and the safe and long-term operating temperature is usually below 80 C. 3 Skoplaki et al 5 reported that the mean decrease in the efficiency of PV cells is about 0.45% for every 1 C increment of temperature. ...
Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) attracts a lot of attention recently because it can achieve much higher efficiency than traditional solar cells by concentrating sunray with an in‐expensive Fresnel lens or parabolic mirror. However, heat dissipation is a critical challenge for CPV solar cells particularly at a high concentration ratio (CR) since the concentrated solar irradiance also results in a large amount of excessive heat. Experimental studies about CPV working at high CR were documented by a few pieces of literature. In this study, the electrical and thermal behavior of active cooling heat sinks with multi‐stage channels for CPV solar cells at both indoor (248× CR) and outdoor (500× and 900× CRs) conditions were comprehensively investigated. The effects of water flow rate, water inlet temperature, season change, and CR on the performance of heat sinks with the different channel numbers and overall size were examined. Convection heat transfer coefficient, electrical, thermal, and cogeneration efficiencies of the heat sinks were evaluated. Results show that the maximum temperature of CPV is significantly reduced as the increase of water flow rate or decreases in the water inlet temperature, meanwhile, the output power is slightly enhanced. The benefits of channel numbers increase are limited, while heat sinks with a cooling area equal to the unpacked cell have higher overall efficiency. Moreover, the convection heat transfer coefficient of the recommended heat sink can reach above 10 kW/(m² K), with the average CPV cell temperature can be maintained at 63.2°C under 500× CR on Summer Solstice, and 71.4°C under 900× CR on Frost's Descent.
Highlights
Indoor and outdoor tests of active cooling for CPV cells at high CR were studied.
Influences of heat sink designs and operating parameters were analyzed.
Convection heat transfer coefficient above 10 kW/(m² K) is reached.
CPV cell average temperature of 63.2°C is achieved on Summer Solstice.
... For LCPV, the CR value ranges from 100 to 200 suns (one sun equals 1000 W/m 2 ). On the other hand, the HCPV arrangements can operate at CR values ranging between 300 and 3000 suns (Pérez-Higueras et al., 2011), and the UHCPV ranges up to 10,000 suns (Valera et al., 2019). One or dual-axis tracking systems can be used for LCPV systems. ...
The present study introduces an innovative method for fresh water and electricity generation in the isolated regions. This proposed system couples a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) unit with a membrane distillation (MD) unit. The CPV unit converts solar energy into electrical energy with conversion efficiency of about 40%. The rest is converted to thermal energy, which may cause cells degradation if temperature exceeds manufacturer limits. An intermediate fluid is used as a coolant which transfers the excess energy to the feed of the MD unit through a heat exchanger. The generated thermal energy in the HCPV cells is used as the driving force for the distillation phenomena in the MD unit. Numerical models were built to simulate the hybrid system. It was found that, at a solar radiation concentration ratio of 1000 suns, the coolant flow rate should exceed 150 g/min for a maximum cell temperature less than 349 K. This arrangement should produce 177 W electric power, and 308 W thermal heat transferred to the coolant. At these conditions, the feed inlet temperature reaches about 323 K, at which, the MD unit produces about 5.88 kg/m².h of pure water, thus allowing the system to simultaneously produce electricity and pure water for isolated coastal regions.
... By concentrating sunlight onto a small area of photovoltaic, this technology provides an economic solution by replacing the expensive semiconductor photovoltaic cells with the cheaper optics. So only small area of PV cell is needed [5]. It also provides more efficient outcome by concentrating more light into the solar cell [6]. ...
The current concerns of energy shortage and global warming have brought the development of strategies to utilize renewable energy resources at the forefront of public interest. Solar power is one of renewable energy's most promising sources. Concentrated photovoltaics can significantly improve a photovoltaic (PV) system's electricity production. This paper presents a novel approach of a CPV unit with a dynamic lens structure. Design and Implementation of both electrical and mechanical design in order to move the lens to achieve a better voltage output. Experiments had been carried out and measurements were taken according to the light source which was the sun in one case and the artificial light in the other. Based on the experimental results the effect of the dynamic lens was studied and compared to the fixed lens. The results showed that the dynamic lens CPV model was more effective and efficient than the fixed one.
... Different review articles on PVT technology, CPV technology, and CPVT technology can already be found in the literature [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Sharaf and Orhan [11,12] have primarily focused on CPVT systems in two reviews covering the considerable number of publications on CPVT. ...
Concentrating photovoltaic-thermal (CPVT) technology harnesses solar energy by increasing the solar density upon cells using optical concentrators. CPVT systems are the focus of ongoing research and improvements to achieve the highest potential for energy harnessing and utilization. Increasing the concentration ratio for high energy generation raises many advances and limitations in the CPVT design. This article highlights the influence of the temperature with an increasing concentration ratio on CPVT components in terms of single-/multi-junction semiconductor materials, primary and secondary optical concentrator materials, and thermal receiver design. To achieve this, the theory of single- and multi-junction solar cell electrical characteristics (Voc,Isc,FF and η) is first explained to understand their dependence on the temperature and concentration ratio. An extensive literature review discussing the advantages, disadvantages, and potential of current CPVT research is given. This includes graphical and tabular summaries of many of the various CPVT design performances.
In this review, it has been ascertained that higher concentration ratios raise the temperature at which the performance, operation and reliability of CPVT system are affected. Also, this review indicates that the temperature elevation of the CPVT components is significantly impacted by the optical configuration and their material types and reflectance. A thermal receiver is illustrated as three components: solar cell (heat source), heat spreader (substrates) and its different types, and cooling mechanism. In addition, the article addresses the thermomechanical stress created with intensified illumination, especially with secondary optics, where the optical materials and optical tolerance need to be carefully explored. The economic implications of a high concentration ratio level are briefly considered, addressing the reduction in system cost by enhancing the system efficiency. Suggestions are made throughout the review as to possible improvements in system performance.
... A parameter that defines an optical concentrator is the concentration ratio (C), which indicates the number of times the sunlight is concentrated [2]. This number is usually expressed in 'sun' units [3] and, due to optical losses, this value is lower than the geometric concentration ratio, that is, the ratio between the POE (A I ) and the solar cell area (A C ). Thus, a solar cell can be irradiated up to 10 6 W/m 2 employing a 1000-sun concentrator collecting sunlight with an irradiance level of 1000 W/m 2 . ...
The interest in Ultra-High Concentrator Photovoltaic (UHCPV) devices has motivated the use of solar cells under ultra-high irradiance levels (+1000 suns). Temperature effects and variations in the spectrum of the incoming light on the solar cells need to be analysed to understand their performance under real operating conditions. In this work an experimental setup, based on an indoor multi-flash solar simulator, is presented. This arrangement allows high efficiency multi-junction solar cells to be characterized up to 1500 suns of irradiance under controlled conditions of temperature and spectrum. Also, different I-V curves obtained by varying each of these parameters separately are attached.
Energy sources are crucial for the development and growth of economies and civilizations. Solar energy is an alternative energy to generate electrical power. The challenges of solar photovoltaic panels (PV) are the low output power and efficiency and the huge installation area beside PVs need a tracking system for better efficiency. The motivation of this paper is to design an innovative solar sphere system, which is a new concentrated photovoltaic technology that has better performance (efficiency and output power) than the normal conventional solar panel (PV) with a smaller installation area and without any tracking system. This design consists of an acrylic solar sphere entirely filled with cooking oil (sunflower or corn oil) that captures solar radiation and concentrates it on a focal point. The focal point is adjusted over a multi-junction cell that acts as a collector device (concentrator solar cell). This focused solar energy can generate a massive amount of power, which is used to produce more electricity than normal photovoltaic panels. The experiments were carried out in order to discover the best acrylic models or shape designs, which is the sphere, the best materials or media in the sphere, that is oil, the best sphere’s size and volume, and that is larger, the best sphere thickness, which at first is lower, the best fluid oil type, which is cooking oil, and finally the best fluid amount or volume inside the sphere, and this is the entire volume. Then, these factors mentioned above are compared with normal photovoltaics (PV) that have the same section area as these shapes. The results revealed that these factors have significant effects on the output power value and efficiency. It has been demonstrated that our innovative concentrated solar sphere system can produce nearly four times the output power or electricity greater than that of a conventional solar panel PV with the same cross-sectional area. This specific sort of compression is crucial because it shows that less space is required to establish this system than it would to install conventional solar panels. The performance of the system per unit of the square area it occupies was compared to the latest generation of flat panel PV available at the market performance; hence, the installation space will be decreased by 40% to 60%. Our system has about twice as much efficiency as solar PV and does not require a tracking system and maintenance. Our technology also has the benefit of not being impacted by extreme temperatures, clouds, dust, and humidity.
As an approach for enhancing electrical outputs of the photovoltaic (PV) cell, mirror-based photovoltaic cell is suggested with gathering light in a focus. Here, a concave mirror-based small PV cell...
Advanced Power Generation Systems: Thermal Sources evaluates advances made in heat-to-power technologies for conventional combustion heat and nuclear heat, along with natural sources of geothermal, solar, and waste heat generated from the use of different sources. These advances will render the landscape of power genera-tion significantly different in just a few decades. This book covers the commercial viability of advanced technologies and identifies where more work needs to be done. Since power is the future of energy, these technologies will remain sustainable over a long period of time. Key Features • Covers power generation and heat engines • Details photovoltaics, thermo-photovoltaics, and thermoelectricity • Includes discussion of nuclear and renewable energy as well as waste heat This book will be useful for advanced students, researchers, and professionals inter-ested in power generation and energy industries.
Photovoltaic (PV) technologies have achieved commercial acceptance, technological maturity and foresee a leading role in the current energy transition to combat the adverse environmental issues posed by fossil fuel-based power generation. The market of photovoltaic technology is rapidly evolving with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) equal to 34% between 2010 and 2020. This review presents updated information on the solar PV development from the material, market, and engineering perspectives. Cell efficiencies, market trends, cost of PV systems, and global research efforts over the last years are provided. Real monitored performances reveal a decrease of up to 10% of PV power output due to soiling effects. This paper discusses soiling mitigation approaches, a critical technical pathway to improve the power output of solar PV systems. A particular emphasis was put into recent and novel experimental and numerical investigations pursued by the PV research community related to heat management in PV systems. Finally, critical challenges and prospects of the solar PV technology are highlighted and discussed.
Nanofluid cooling of a concentrated photovoltaic thermal (CPVT) receiver was simulated by a sub-continuous lattice Boltzmann model with the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) and the effective viscosity (EV) nonlinearly related to both nanoparticle concentration and size. Al2O3-water nanofluid cooling efficiencies for various solar irradiance are compared with those of pure water cooling. Flow and temperature fields are simulated for nanofluids with the nanoparticle concentration from 1% to 10%, particle size less than 120 nm, and flow rate over a range of 0.17–3.34 L/min (i.e., the inlet velocity from 1/10 to 2 times of the natural convection velocity scale). In dimensionless form, the parameters are described by concentration, Knudsen number and Richardson number. The enhancement ratios of Nusselt numbers, drag coefficients, and power coefficients due to the application of nanofluids compared to water are presented. An objective enhancement function is defined as the ratio of the Nusselt number to the power coefficient. The maximum enhancement ratio is 1.14 for nanoparticle concentration at 8%, Knudsen number at 0.1 (Al2O3 nanoparticle size 6 nm), and Richardson number 10 (the inlet velocity about 1/3 of the natural convection velocity scale), respectively. This study provides a practical tool for optimal nanofluid cooling enhancement of CPVT solar receivers.
Semiconductors have been used in solar energy conversion for decades based on the photovoltaic effect. An important challenge of photovoltaics is the undesired heat generated within the device. An alternative approach is thermionics, which uses the thermal excitation of electrons from an emitter to a collector across a vacuum gap. If the emitter is a p-type semiconductor, the photogeneration-induced quasi-Fermi level splitting can reduce the effective barrier for electron emission—a mechanism used by a photon enhanced thermionic emission device. Here, we evaluate the prospects of this alternative solar conversion technology considering different semiconductor materials and thermionic device configurations. We also reveal that whether such a device operates in the photon enhanced or purely thermionic mode, depends on the complex interplay among materials properties, device physics and solar concentration level. A semiconductor thermionic device, which utilises thermally excited electrons, is considered as an alternative in solar conversion technology, yet its working mechanism is not clear. Here, the authors reveal that whether such a device operates in the photon enhanced or purely thermionic mode, greatly depends on the material properties and device physics.
This paper presents a comparison between five control strategies for HCPV sun tracking that comprise open-loop by means of Solar Equations, closed-loop by Sun position feedback (using an electro-optical sensor and a DC power sensor), and pointing ahead of the Sun. The performance of the control strategies is tested under a fully calibrated sun-tracker conditions and not-calibrated conditions to expose the problematic of the high accuracy sun pointing. When the sun-tracker is calibrated, all control strategies perform in a very similar way in terms of efficiency of use of available light energy, with the exception that one of the control strategies does not need prior calibration. The measured loss in efficiency when the sun-tracker is not calibrated precisely is approximately equal to 6%.
High-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) systems are one of the most promising technologies for the generation of renewable energy with high-conversion efficiency. Its development is still at an early stage, but the possibility of integrating high-concentration systems into buildings offers new opportunities to achieve the net-zero-energy building goal. In this work we evaluate the optical and energetic performance of a hybrid daylighting-HCPV prototype based on pure- or doped-silica optical fibres to guide 2000× concentrated sunlight inside the buildings. There, the light can either be used to illuminate interior spaces or projected on solar cells to generate electricity. The system equipped with a single 400 μm core-diameter optical fibre demonstrated to achieve a total efficiency of 15% and an optical efficiency of 45%.
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World demand for energy is rapidly increasing and finding sufficient supplies of clean energy for the future is one of the major scientific challenges of today. This book presents the latest knowledge and chemical prospects in developing hydrogen as a solar fuel. Using oxygenic photosynthesis and hydrogenase enzymes for bio-inspiration, it explores strategies for developing photocatalysts to produce a molecular solar fuel. The book begins with perspective of solar energy utilization and the role that synthetic photocatalysts can play in producing solar fuels. It then summarizes current knowledge with respect to light capture, photochemical conversion, and energy storage in chemical bonds. Following chapters on the natural systems, the book then summarizes the latest developments in synthetic chemistry of photo- and reductive catalysts. Finally, important future research goals for the practical utilization of solar energy are discussed. The book is written by experts from various fields working on the biological and synthetic chemical side of molecular solar fuels to facilitate advancement in this area of research.
The emergence of solar PV systems is an important area of research due to the availability of these photovoltaics at cheaper rates. The emerging technology of PV is already being used in many parts of the world as a source of energy to reduce dependence on non-renewable sources. The recent popularity of Photovolatalic Thermal systems also known as PV/T systems is in consideration due to their increased efficiency over conventional PV systems. The authors in this paper intend to show the various aspects of PV integrated with thermal systems, the PV/T systems. The Fresnel lens is used as a concentrator for focussing the sunlight on the PV cells. Various publications about Fresnel lenses show that they are of prime importance in the cogeneration of power and heat effectively. Various thermal and electrical aspects, modifications in the conventional PV/T systems have been discussed. To conclude this review paper, problem areas associated with the PV/T systems have been mentioned. Further research is suggested to improve the design, effectiveness, and reduce the overall cost of the system.
Concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) has great competitiveness in replacing the conventional flat-panel PV system due to its high conversion efficiency and small cell active area. However, the accessory beam steering and concentrating optics are bulky and costly. Here we propose a programmable compound prism (PCP) powered by triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for solar beam steering. A disc TENG with a RC circuit could produce DC voltage signal, and the voltage signal could be tuned by varying the resistance in RC circuit. By connecting the variable DC output to the left, right and back walls of the PCP filled with DC 550 silicone oil, DI water and PMX 200 silicone oil, the two oil/water interfaces could be modulated in a programmable manner. A maximum deflection angle range of 15° was achieved in the PCP, which is 38% greater than conventional single prism with only one oil/water interface. The proposed TENG-PCP was employed to deflect an oblique incident laser beam to trigger the power generation in a multi-junction solar cell. With the operation of the proposed TENG-PCP, a 1.2 mW increment was achieved by the multi-junction solar cell, indicating the potential of boosting the CPV by the presented TENG−PCP.
This paper presents a control strategy for sun trackers which adapts continuously to different sources of error, avoiding the necessity of any kind of calibration by analyzing the produced electric power to sense the position of the Sun. The proposed strategy is able to meet the strict specifications for HCPV sun trackers despite of mechanical uncertainties (misalignments in the structure itself, misalignment of the solar modules with respect to the wing, etc.) and installation uncertainties (misalignments of the platform with respect to geographical north). Experimental results with an industrial-grade solar tracker showing the validity of the proposed control strategy under sunny and moderate cloudy conditions, as well as with different installation precisions by un-calibrating the system on purpose are exposed.
A solar photovoltaic (PV) system includes the main components of PV modules, a solar inverter, and a bias of system (BoS), which can generate AC and DC power. However, the desired efficiency of PV systems relies on many factors as well as understanding the component functionality and configuration. Moreover, comprehension of the monitoring techniques and reliable engineering methods are crucial to assure the service life of the PV systems. In this chapter, various components of PV systems are discussed, including modules, convertors, inverters, storage, charge controller, and cables as well as designing different types of PV systems, namely grid-connected, standalone, and hybrid PV systems. Furthermore, this chapter provides detailed information about the monitoring methods, failure identifications, and characterizations of PV systems and ultimately, the effects of environmental and climate conditions on the reliability and durability of PV systems.
Nowadays, scientists are researching new concepts and emerging PV technologies in order to increase the potential of PV applications as well as integration into numerous fields, including mobility, built-in environment, and society, where it can be more tangible in general public services. This chapter discusses building-integrated photovoltaics (BiPV) and building-added PV (BAPV) to contribute to low-energy and zero-energy building concepts. Moreover, luminescent solar concentrator PVs (LSC PV) are presented as an innovative concept to reduce the cost of electricity generated by PV and also provide an aesthetic PV design for extensive applications. Eventually, novel approaches to applying PV in mobility and life are considered.
Recent experiments have shown that more than one electron-hole generation per photon in solar cells is possible. A number of modeling works to appraise the theoretical potential of cells with high quantum efficiency have been carried out by several authors, and in some of them violations of the thermodynamic principles have occurred. A procedure to test the thermodynamic coherence of ideal models is developed in this paper, and applied to the most convincing model so far presented, proving that it is thermodynamically coherent. For the purpose of demonstration, the procedure is applied to an alternative credible model that violates thermodynamics. Also in this paper the absolute thermodynamic limit of work production in light converters, beyond the reference to specific devices—so far studied for blackbody radiation—is proven for any kind of radiation.
The Very High Efficiency Solar Cell (VHESC) program is developing integrated optical system–PV modules for portable applications that operate at greater than 50% efficiency. We are integrating the optical design with the solar cell design, and have entered previously unoccupied design space. Our approach is driven by proven quantitative models for the solar cell design, the optical design, and the integration of these designs. Optical systems efficiency with an optical efficiency of 93% and solar cell device results under ideal dichroic splitting optics summing to 42·7 ± 2·5% are described. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
In this paper we report on research activities at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and Concentrix Solar in the area of secondary optics for FLATCON<sup>®</sup> modules. This concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology is based on Fresnel-lenses as primary optics, passive heat spreaders and triple-junction III-V solar cells. In the first part of the paper, a field performance analysis is presented for Concentrix CPV-systems recently installed in Spain. Subsequently, the performance of the first FLATCON<sup>®</sup> modules with reflective and refractive secondaries are evaluated (FLATCON<sup>®</sup> II) in indoor and outdoor measurements. As a result of this development, the first module with automated assembly process of the secondary optics could be manufactured. The highest outdoor efficiency measured for this kind of module is 29.1 %, which is the highest module efficiency achieved at the Fraunhofer ISE so far.
In this paper, we present the state-of-the-art of multijunction
solar cells and the future prospects of this technology. Their use in
terrestrial applications will likely be for concentrators operating at
very high concentrations. Some trends are also discussed and we present
a cost calculation showing that highly efficient cells under very high
concentration would be able to produce electricity at costs competitive
with electricity generation costs for some utilities
A new concentrator receiver containing a 7mm×7mm 3J concentrator solar cell with a 37.4% peak efficiency was developed. The receiver design includes a homogenizer, heat-handling (epoxy lamination) technologies and a low-resistance soldered connection and can be applied to various concentrator optics, including dish systems. The outdoor efficiency with a combination of a plastic Fresnel lens, made by low-cost injection molding, reached 27% on a hot summer day under 35.0°C ambient temperature without additional cooling. With this newly developed receiver, mechanical engineers will be able to design their own concentrator module suitable for their environment, using their mechanical knowledge and local industrial resources. A 400X and 7056cm2 concentrator module was fabricated with 36 concentrator receivers connected in series and the same number of newly developed dome-shaped, non-imaging Fresnel lenses. The power rating was 200Wp. The peak outdoor efficiency on a clear sky day was 26.8±1.5%. The integrated efficiency over the course of the day was 25.3±1.4%. This is the highest module efficiency that has been achieved using a practical module size and electrical rating.
Multijunction solar cells produced by Spectrolab are the most efficient solar cells in the world, with a record efficiency of over 40%. Cell designs have been modified for high performance in concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems with the potential for low-cost, high-volume manufacturing. High-performance CPV cells have been designed, tested, and entered into production for field testing in CPV systems. Performance under variable concentrations and temperatures has been characterized and compared to semiconductor theory. The cell response has been applied to a spectral irradiance model to predict field performance at reference locations. Cell qualification has been completed for the current-generation C1MJ design.
Consolidated tables showing an extensive listing of the highest independently confirmed efficiencies for solar cells and modules are presented. Guidelines for inclusion of results into these tables are outlined and new entries since July 2009 are reviewed.
Champion concentrator cell efficiencies have surpassed 40% and now many are asking whether the efficiencies will surpass 50%. Theoretical efficiencies of >60% are described for many approaches, but there is often confusion about “the” theoretical efficiency for a specific structure. The detailed balance approach to calculating theoretical efficiency gives an upper bound that can be independent of material parameters and device design. Other models predict efficiencies that are closer to those that have been achieved. Changing reference spectra and the choice of concentration further complicate comparison of theoretical efficiencies. This paper provides a side-by-side comparison of theoretical efficiencies of multi-junction solar cells calculated with the detailed balance approach and a common one-dimensional-transport model for different spectral and irradiance conditions. Also, historical experimental champion efficiencies are compared with the theoretical efficiencies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A program for the development and qualification of advanced triple-junction space solar cells in Europe was initiated and supported by the European Space Agency ESA (contracts No. 18767/04/NL/FM "development of next generation GaAs-based multijunction solar cells" and No. 18118/04/NL/US "space qualification of European triple-junction solar cell RWE-3G") and the national German Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. DLR (contract No. 50JR0442 "triple, quadruple and sextuple solar cells for space applications"). RWE Space Solar Power (D) is leading a research and development consortium including Fraunhofer-SE (D), Umicore (B), Galileo Avionica (I) and Astrium (D). The paper presents results of the work of these programs, in which triple junction solar cells with AM0-efficiencies of up to 30% are developed
Solar cell efficiency tables (version 35) Progress in Photo-voltaics: Research and Applications
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Fixed and two-axis tracking PV system: Potential solar elec-tricity from conventional and CPV modules technology
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Test, rating and specification of PV concentrator components and systems. C-rating project. Book 1: classification of PV concen-trators
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CDO-100 concentrator photovoltaic cell. www.spectrolab. com
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Flatcon CPV systems – field data and new developments. In: 24th European photovoltaic solar energy conference
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