Abstract
Fluorescent solar concentrators are but one candidate for lowering the costs of photovoltaic technology. Stateof-the-art device conversion efficiencies are around 4%, and the device configuration can be optimized in terms of Euro per Watt. This paper aims to estimate the annual energy yield of such an optimized device configuration, using a detailed minutely spectral irradiance data set, describing a full year in the Netherlands, in combination with a ray-tracing model of the fluorescent solar concentrator. The spectral dataset is modeled using experimentally determined global, direct, and diffuse irradiation data on a minutely basis. Performance variations during the day for a number of typical days are investigated, i.e., for a clear summer day, a cloudy summer day, a clear winter day, and a cloudy winter day, using a ray-trace model of the fluorescent solar concentrator. Also, monthly aggregated spectra are used, as well as an annually aggregated spectrum to determine monthly and annual energy yields, respectively. As a result of a cost-per-unit-of-power optimization study, an optimum size of 23×23x0.1 cm3 was used, and an annual energy yield of 41.3 kWh/m2 could be estimated; this is 4.7 times lower than the annual energy yield of a state-of-the-art silicon solar cell.
Published Version
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