Status of the DOE Photovoltaic Concentrator Technology Development Project

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6868479

Edenburn, M W; Schueler, D G; Boes, E C

As the manager of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Photovoltaic Concentrator Technology Development Project, Sandia is developing low-cost photovoltaic power by taking advantage of sunlight concentrators that replace high-cost photovoltaic cells with lower cost reflective or refractive optical surfaces. The project includes developing solar cells designed for high-solar-intensity applications; finding and developing promising concentrator concepts; developing components for use in concentrators such as reflective and refractive optical devices, cell encapsulants, cell cooling mechanisms, and low-cost sun-tracking structures; testing and evaluating arrays and array components; studying various aspects of photovoltaic concentrators such as the effects of nonuniform illumination, shading, cell temperature gradients and cell cooling; developing manufacturing techniques for large-scale array production; and supporting the fabrication of full-sized arrays. A summary of the project's activities is given.

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0789
• OSTI ID: 6868479
• Report Number(s): SAND-78-0948C; CONF-780619-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
141000 -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
COOLING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ENCAPSULATION
FABRICATION
MANUFACTURING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
PRODUCTION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SHADING
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR TRACKING
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
TESTING
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS