Fabrication of highly transparent concentrator photovoltaic module for efficient dual land use in middle DNI region

Hirai, Daiki; Okamoto, Kazuya; Yamada, Noboru

doi:10.1109/pvsc.2015.7355759

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…However, diffuse light still represents a potentially valuable resource and can be captured with a straightforward modification of the module design. A growing trend is to design the CPV module to be transparent [16], allowing the diffuse component to be transmitted and used for illumination, as illustrated in Figure 2a,b. However, as this diffuse component cannot be efficiently transported (via optical fibers or light pipes), the module must be installed in the location where the diffuse light will be used.…”

Section: Light-splitting and Hybrid Solar Energy Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The CPV “Toolbox”: New Approaches to Maximizing Solar Resource Utilization with Application-Oriented Concentrator Photovoltaics

2021

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As the scaling of silicon PV cells and module manufacturing has driven solar energy penetration up and costs down, concentrator photovoltaic technologies, originally conceived as a cost-saving measure, have largely been left behind. The loss of market share by CPV is being locked in even as solar energy development encounters significant obstacles related to space constraints in many parts of the world. The inherently higher collection efficiency enabled by the use of concentrators could substantially alleviate these challenges, but the revival of CPV for this purpose requires substantial reinvention of the technology to actually capture the theoretically possible efficiency gains, and to do so at market-friendly costs. This article will discuss recent progress in key areas central to this reinvention, including miniaturization of cells and optics to produce compact, lightweight “micro-CPV” systems; hybridization of CPV with thermal, illumination and other applications to make use of unused energy streams such as diffuse light and waste heat; and the integration of sun-tracking into the CPV module architecture to enable greater light collection and more flexible deployment, including integration into built structures. Applications showing particular promise include thermal applications such as water heating, industrial processes and desalination; agricultural photovoltaics; building-integrated photovoltaics with dynamic daylighting capabilities; and chemical processes including photocatalysis and hydrogen production. By appropriately tailoring systems to the available solar resource and local energy demand, we demonstrate how CPV can finally achieve real-world efficiencies, or solar resource utilization factors, far higher than those of standard silicon-based PV systems. This makes the argument for sustained development of novel CPV designs that can be applied to the real-world settings where this efficiency boost will be most beneficial.

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Section: Light-splitting and Hybrid Solar Energy Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The CPV “Toolbox”: New Approaches to Maximizing Solar Resource Utilization with Application-Oriented Concentrator Photovoltaics

2021

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“…The concept has been demonstrated using CPV modules with two-axis tracking. 19,20 It enables CPV applications in building-integrated PV (e.g., skylights) or a dual use of the land on which the PV system is installed, like in the combination with agricultural production (agrivoltaics or agrophotovoltaics). Agrivoltaics is attracting growing attention, and several groups have demonstrated win-win situations or larger-than-unity land use.…”

Section: Translucent Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Industrialization of hybrid Si/III–V and translucent planar micro‐tracking modules

Nardin

Domínguez

Aguilar

et al. 2020

Progress in Photovoltaics

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A tracking-integrated hybrid micro-concentrator module is presented that can harvest direct, diffuse, and albedo irradiance components. It uses biconvex 180× lens arrays to concentrate direct light on high-efficiency III-V solar cells (29% module efficiency has been demonstrated outdoors on direct sunlight at Concentrator Standard Test Conditions) and a planar micro-tracking mechanism to allow installation in static frames. Two architectures have been developed to harvest diffuse irradiance: (1) a hybrid architecture where the backplane is covered with monofacial or bifacial Si cells; (2) a translucent architecture where diffuse light is transmitted through the module for dual-land-use applications, such as agrivoltaics. Simulations show that the hybrid architecture provides an excess of yearly energy production compared to 20% efficiency flat-plate photovoltaic (PV) module in all locations studied, including those with a low direct normal irradiance (DNI) content, and up to 38% advantage in high-DNI locations. The use of bifacial heterojunction and interdigitated back-contact Si cells has been explored for the glass-Si-glass backplane laminate to harvest albedo light. Bifacial gains modeled can boost energy yield by about 30% in the best scenario. We discuss the perspectives of the translucent modules for dual-land-use applications as well, such as integration in greenhouses for agriculture-integrated PV (agrivoltaics). This architecture can provide up to 47% excess electricity compared to a spaced reference Si array that transmits the same amount of solar

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“…The parabolic concentrator selectively transmits sunlight only in a specific spectral range that is essential for plant growth to the area under the module while simultaneously concentrating the remaining sunlight onto Si cells for power generation. In another approach, researchers have proposed using highly transparent high‐concentration CPVs that selectively transmit diffuse sunlight . They designed and fabricated a minimodule (57 mm × 57 mm in size) and performed outdoor tests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In another approach, researchers have proposed using highly transparent high-concentration CPVs that selectively transmit diffuse sunlight. 13 They designed and fabricated a minimodule (57 mm × 57 mm in size) and performed outdoor tests. The results confirmed the potential of the concept.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and testing of highly transparent concentrator photovoltaic modules for efficient dual‐land‐use applications

Sato

Yamada

2019

Energy Science & Engineering

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Two types of highly transparent concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules that separately utilize direct sunlight and diffuse sunlight for efficient dual‐land‐use applications were designed and tested. The type A module, comprising a typical‐scale CPV lens and solar cells, has a completely direct‐diffuse‐separated design for power generation and other solar applications. On the other hand, the type B module, consisting of a microscale CPV lens and solar cells, was designed to increase the amount of direct sunlight transmitted based on an intentional reduction in the ratio of the lens aperture area to the module aperture area. In experiments, both modules exhibit higher electricity yields and module‐transmitted irradiances (MTIs) than those of a conventional partially transparent flat photovoltaic module with 17% efficiency Si solar cells. Furthermore, the modules show direct normal irradiance‐based efficiencies of 26.7% (type A) and 18.5% (type B) while simultaneously showing MTI‐to‐global normal irradiance ratios of 15.3%‐63.7% (type A) and 38.0%‐63.8% (type B) under various irradiance conditions. Thus, an irradiance of at least 160 W/m2 under the modules can be achieved even when they are arrayed without gaps (at a ground coverage ratio = 1).

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Fabrication of highly transparent concentrator photovoltaic module for efficient dual land use in middle DNI region

Cited by 8 publications

References 4 publications

The CPV “Toolbox”: New Approaches to Maximizing Solar Resource Utilization with Application-Oriented Concentrator Photovoltaics

The CPV “Toolbox”: New Approaches to Maximizing Solar Resource Utilization with Application-Oriented Concentrator Photovoltaics

Industrialization of hybrid Si/III–V and translucent planar micro‐tracking modules

Design and testing of highly transparent concentrator photovoltaic modules for efficient dual‐land‐use applications

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