Suggested reading

1. The Promise of Concentrators
Richard M. Swanson

Some extract from this thrilling text:

"...SunPower markets silicon concentrator cells with over 26% efficiency (resulting in Fresnel module efficiencies of 20% at normal operating conditions)"

"An AlGaAs±GaSb two junction mechanically stacked cell achieved 32.6% efficiency. Such high performance compound cells are also very expensive and can be seriously considered only in concentrator systems (and space power) "

"..the non-cell system components are more expensive than was originally expected.
These costs include module lamination, site preparation, support structure, installation, wiring, fencing, and similar area-related features. Roughly the first 10% of module efficiency goes to pay for these costs, meaning that a 10% efficient module would have to be free in order to produce competitive bulk electric
power."

Click here to read "The Promise of Concentrators"
 

2. The History of Modern Concentrators, Sala et al.

- Since 1978, US research focus on fresnel lens technology
- during 80's, a number of C-systems deployed, no commercial success
- EUCLIDES using reflective parabolic troughs reaching 14% 1995

Current activities:

a) Point focus Fresnel lenses

Alpha Solarco: acrylic lens made using 3M Lens Film. 250X
Amonix: installed >200 kW for Arizona Public Service
FISE: dual focus fresnel lens module

b) Line focus fresnel lenses
Entech: curved line focus Fresnel lenses
Photovoltaics International extruded line focus Fresnel lens, 10X

c) Parabolic troughs

Australian National University: 2 kW demonstration in Australia.
ITER, BP solar and the “Universidad Politécnica de Madrid” (UPM) 480 kW Tenerife.

d) Parabolic dish

Ben-Gurion University: very large dish PV system.
Solar Research Corporation: reflective dish concentrators.
Solar Systems Pty Ltd: System with 10-42 parabolic dishes

e) Hybrid optical devices (mirrors, lenses and internal reflection)

UPM: RXI microconcentrator concentration over 1000X and acceptance angle of 1.8º.

f) Static concentrators

University of New South Wales: 4X concentration.
Tokyo University: two dimensional lens 1,65X, three-dimensional lens 2X
UPM and ISOFOTON: static concentrators with bifacial cells.
Vattenfall Utveckling: 4X concentration

Click here to read "The History of Modern Concentrators

3. Applied Solar Energy, Meinel & Meinel 1976

Introduction to everything concerning concentrating systems

Get a used copy here (or search at your library!)

4. Design and Stability of CU(In,Ga)Se2-Based Solar Cell Modules, Johan Wennerberg

Important inspiration! Writing of a member of our team, good instroduction and basic facts on cells and solar energy (beside his research on thin-film cells!)

Read it here