A comparative study of LCPV by mirror reflection against other systems: Recent techniques, implications, and performances

Abstract

Nowadays, using clean and renewable energy is one of the necessities of life. Investment and use of renewable energy have been steadily increasing since 2004. During the crisis and non-crisis periods, such as the great cryptocurrency crash in 2018, Bitcoin fluctuation, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, fluctuations in the stock market such as the clean and renewable energy had very few than in the oil market. Among all renewable energy sources, solar energy is of great importance. Solar energy is an essential energy source for creating eco-friendly and sustainable systems. In order to satisfy rising energy demands, solar energy systems have garnered considerable interest as a significant renewable energy source. Concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic systems (PVS) are the two most common types of solar energy systems deployed for this purpose. Current solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has its limitations. To overcome the limitations of the PV, the concentrated photovoltaic system (CPVS) has the intention to replace large PV panels with affordable optics that concentrate solar radiation onto smaller PV panels. The scope of this assessment has been expanded to include specific issues pertaining to CPVS with mirrors and to highlight new developments in Low Concentrator Photovoltaic System (LCPVS) techniques. This review aims to exhibit and debate the current state of solar concentrating systems in the world, as well as to recommend future actions that will improve the solar energy contribution to the global energy supply. From the authors' perspective, considering an LCPVS using mirrors as a reflector and water for cooling can be a great choice to increase the overall efficiency and has been suggested to reduce the cost of installing solar panels compared with other types of the CPVS. Moreover, the choice of CPVS type is decided by the requirements and objectives. Although the application of LCPVS improves the total efficiency of the solar panel, its influence on generating electrical power is larger than its effect on rising heat.