Concentrator photovoltaic module architectures with capabilities for capture and conversion of full global solar radiation
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,
- Semprius, Durham, NC 27713,
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China 100084,
- The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037,, US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375,
- US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375,
- Integrated Nanotechnology Lab, Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia,
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea,, Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea,
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea,, Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea,
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,, Kavli Energy NanoScience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,, Materials Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801,
Significance
Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems, wherein light focuses onto multijunction solar cells, offer the highest efficiencies in converting sunlight to electricity. The performance is intrinsically limited, however, by an inability to capture diffuse illumination, due to narrow acceptance angles of the concentrator optics. Here we demonstrate concepts where flat-plate solar cells mount onto the backplanes of the most sophisticated CPV modules to yield an additive contribution to the overall output. Outdoor testing results with two different hybrid module designs demonstrate absolute gains in average daily efficiencies of between 1.02% and 8.45% depending on weather conditions. The findings suggest pathways to significant improvements in the efficiencies, with economics that could potentially expand their deployment to a wide range of geographic locations.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0001293; AR0000624
- OSTI ID:
- 1334550
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1379620
- Journal Information:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Journal Issue: 51 Vol. 113; ISSN 0027-8424
- Publisher:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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