Recent advances in the EPRI high-concentration photovoltaic program
- Daedalus Associates, Inc., Mountain View, CA (United States)
During the 1970s and early 1980s a promising solar cell technology evolved in the laboratory at Stanford University. The work produced a point-contact photovoltaic cell that has established a number of world record achievements. Since 1984, the Electric Power Research Institute has moved the laboratory concept forward commercial application. The design and processing of the cell has progressed from laboratory device research toward a mass-produced commodity, with concurrent reduction in cost and improvement in uniformity. An extension test program to determine module and array performance and reliability has been put in place. More than 1500 high concentration cells have been produced in the evolutionary process. Approximately 700 of those cells have been or are presently being installed in fully operational modules for field tests. Over 130 modules have been constructed and are in field testing for electrical, thermal or weathering tests. Two full-sized array structures (each containing 60 instrumented thermal'' modules) have been constructed and continue to undergo field testing for alignment, performance, and reliability. This two volume report reviews the activities that have occurred in this technology since the issue of the early conceptual design study. The intent is to inform interested readers -- utilities, commercializers, researchers -- as to the primary developments and test results that have been achieved. A considerable body of of raw data'' has been included so that interested researchers can draw their own conclusions. Volume 1 discusses design and fabrication of the cell; performance of the cell; design, construction and testing of the cell package and the design, fabrication and testing of the optical system. Volume 2 reviews the module and array programs, discusses other system issues and presents a short review of the technology's open issues.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Daedalus Associates, Inc., Mountain View, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- EPRI; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5494488
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR-100393-Vol.1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Recent advances in the EPRI high-concentration photovoltaic program
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Related Subjects
SOLAR CELLS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
DESIGN
FABRICATION
FRESNEL LENS
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS
POWER GENERATION
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR ENERGY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
LENSES
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
POWER PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
140600 - Solar Energy- Photovoltaic Power Systems