Recent progress in concentrator photovoltaics

Abstract

In this paper, a review of the recent progress in concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) is given. In the first part, an introduction to CPV includes the concepts of solar concentration and the specific advantages of CPV. Then, the various optical designs are presented and discussed. In the second part, the recent success in bringing this technology to market ready products is described. Exemplarily, the FLATCON® CPV technology is described in detail and data of the field performance are presented. The design of the FLATCON CPV module is based on Fresnel lenses and III-V multijunction solar cells (MJC). With these modules Concentrix installed a demo tracker and two power plants in Spain in 2008. Field data of these systems with a maximum AC efficiency of 23% are presented and discussed in detail. In 2009, the first systems were installed with the module CX-75 which is produced on the fully automated production line of Concentrix in Freiburg. This module has a DC efficiency of 27% flashed. The field data which are presented demonstrate an outstanding AC system efficiency of 25%.