High Performance Concentration PV Module

Experimental installation of two High Performance Concentration Photo Voltaic panels 12.5 kW each to test long term performance of two types of high performance conversion cells.

Scientific Innovation of the system:

Optics:

  • Allow for high concentration (1024 Suns)
  • High Angular acceptance (1.1º)

The high concentration factor is important to reduce the surface of the cell reducing cost, overall size and weight. The high Angular acceptance make possible to use higher tolerance, and therefore cheaper, trackers and also automatically neutralizes manufacturing errors both in panels and in tracker. Average Angular acceptance of similar systems is around 0.6º

Conversion Cells:

  • Triple Junction latest generation conversion cells from SpectroLab, and Solar Junction (one panel of each cell manufacturer)

Efficiency:

  • Measured on module: 31%
  • Expected in overall system: 29%

The long term Idea is to measure the behavior of the two different cells over long periods of time. Special instrumentation has been acquired for that purpose.