Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems Research Articles

Analysis of HCPV-LIB integrated hybrid system for renewable energy generation in Kuwait hot climate

In this work, a high concentrated photovoltaic system (HCPV) integrated with battery storage system is proposed to produce energy for different applications in hot harsh weather conditions of Kuwait. Integrated HCPV-battery storage units commonly deliver systems with higher energy density compared to systems with individual components due to less wiring as well as sharing usual electrodes and encapsulation. The principal motivation for employing HCPV for generating high energy is the significant improve in power output. In that case, large cell areas are replaced by more inexpensive optical concentrator resulting in a substantial reduction in system cost. Thermal and electrical models utilizing Kuwait weather conditions are developed to evaluate the performance of the different system components; HCPV module, battery, and converter. To examine the reliability and the advantages of the suggested system, its performance is compared to the corresponding system with individual components. The results of the developed models agree well with available experimental data. The errors in total root mean square of present outcomes are less than 2 %. Simulation results indicate that the temperature of the battery and converters significantly decreases by inserting an air gap of 6.5 cm thickness between HCPV module and the battery back. The maximum battery temperature does not exceed 41 °C under severe weather conditions which is lower than the maximum operation temperature recommended by battery manufacturer. The optimum capacity of HCPV generation and battery capacity are determined utilizing load of loss probability as a measure for comparison. The increase in the temperature of integrated HCPV-battery system results in extra power losses of about 2.7 % compared to normal solar HCPV system. Because of ambient temperature, the battery capacity decreases by 2.6 % after one year of operation. However, the high energy density of the integrated system because of common components compared to the normal HCPV system exceed the decrease in performance due to elevated module temperature.

Design of Primary Optical Element with Multiple Sublenses to Improve Irradiance Uniformity over the Receiver of Concentrator Photovoltaic System

Design of Primary Optical Element with Multiple Sublenses to Improve Irradiance Uniformity over the Receiver of Concentrator Photovoltaic System

Investigating the performance characteristics of low concentrated photovoltaic systems utilizing a beam splitting device under variable cutoff wavelengths

A numerical model combining thermal and electrical models was established and validated against previous literature to investigate the thermal and electrical performance characteristics of a concentrated PV/thermal unit integrated with a beam splitting system. The effect of the cutoff wavelength on the temperature distribution and the maximum allowable concentration ratio (MACR) for uncooled systems was discussed. The maximum efficiency was found to be at about a 900 nm cutoff wavelength, whereas the total output power achieved its maximum value at a cutoff wavelength of 600 nm under MACR conditions. The effect of the splitting system on actively cooled systems was also discussed. Cooling the system allowed for higher concentration ratios beyond MACR but consumed more power. The required cooling water inlet Reynolds numbers under several concentration ratios were estimated. It was discovered that using a splitting system dramatically decreased the required flow rate, hence less cooling power. The overall efficiencies when using a splitting system were higher than those normal systems in all cases. The results of this study could be considered as a guide for designing a hybrid splitting system at optimum conditions with and without cooling and pave the way for more improvements in this field.

Recent progresses and challenges in cooling techniques of concentrated photovoltaic thermal system: A review with special treatment on phase change materials (PCMs) based cooling

Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) system is one of the efficient and economical photovoltaics (PV) technologies. The fundamental principle of using CPV system is a substitution of expensive cell area with inexpensive optics. Concentrating the solar radiation on small areas enhances the power output. However, operating at high temperatures can potentially impair their life span and performance. Thus, cooling medium plays a crucial role in refining the CPV system's efficiency. The integration of the CPV system with Phase change materials (PCMs) provides a state-of-the-art hybrid design for both thermal and electrical outputs, suggesting a better utilization of solar energy. Nano-enhanced Phase Change Materials (NePCMs) were demonstrated to be the best combination for optimal behavior, such as storing and releasing energy quicker during the phase transition process without help from external systems. Key objective of this review article is to present the latest works and technical challenges on the application of PCMs and NePCMs in Concentrated Photovoltaic Thermal (CPVT) as cooling and thermal energy storage mediums to improve PV cell efficiency. This review leads to the current gaps in the research and recommends future work on developing new PCMs, and NePCMs integrated CPV systems for improved performance, life span and economic feasibility. • Different active and passive cooling techniques of CPVT systems are presented. • Thermal regulation of PCM integrated with CPVT system are extensively analyzed. • Thermal regulation of NePCMs integrated CPVT systems are discussed. • Technical challenges associated with PCM integrated CPVT systems are discussed.

Performance enhancement of concentrated photovoltaic systems CPVS using a nanofluid optical filter

The exploitation of solar energy using hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) system can represent a viable choice for the rising energy demand. Due to the wide range of PVT applications, many designs have been developed to improve the solar system global performance by cooling PV cells. The proposed system offers a practical heat gain in addition to the electrical efficiency enhancement. The integration of optical water filters (OWF) in photovoltaic systems could be an advantageous solution for their performance improvement. In this work, three different optical water filter models are evaluated using Cinematic fluid dynamics CFD modeling and their effect on the global system operating is discussed. Three shapes of OWF models are considered. Model (I) is an OWF under the PV cell. Model II is an OWF which passes over and under PV cells with separated inputs. Model III consists of a double pass mode OWF. Results showed that the maximum photovoltaic efficiency is corresponding to model (III) and reaches 12.08% at 14 h. The paper highlighted the different impacts associated with different OWF models. The results showed a significant increase in water outlet temperature. Consequently, an enhancement of the PVT system thermal efficiency is achieved. Finally, various water-based nanofluid (Al 2 O 3 , Cu, Ag, Au) optical filters are elucidated. The optimal photovoltaic performance is obtained by the water-Au nanofluid which allowed an electrical efficiency varying between 2% and 10%. Nanofluid filters have thus been shown to improve the performance of the CPVS concentrated photovoltaic system, not only because of the thermodynamic properties but also as a spectrally separated cooling system.

Effect of Increasing Solar Radiation Reflected with Mirrors Perpendicularly on the Power Output of Photovoltaic System with Cooling

Solar energy is one of the most popular renewable energies in the world as solar energy can be easily accessed throughout most places of the world. However, converting solar energy into other sources of energy is not very cheap and numerous efficiency improvements methods are under investigation by researchers around the world. The current study proposes a low concentration photovoltaic system (LCPVS) with 4 mirrors and cooling. The aim of this project was to examine how using mirrors to concentrate solar radiation affects the amount of power generated by solar panels. The mirrors (ranging from 1 to 4) radiated the sun reflection onto the panel with a cooling system. The results obtained from the proposed project were compared to the results collected from the normal panel without concentration to measure the differences which revealed that the proposed system output power was almost three times more than conventional photovoltaic (PV) panel without concentration.

Performance assessment of a novel integrated concentrator photovoltaic system with encapsulated phase change materials

The utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) with concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems for energy storage and thermal management is limited. This is mainly due to the low thermal conductivity and poor heat transfer from the CPV cell to the PCM. In the current study, a novel design of encapsulated phase change materials integrated with a concentrator photovoltaic system is developed to enhance the conversion and thermal efficiencies of CPV systems. The new design enhances the effective thermal conductivity of the PCM-based heat sink and allows for rapid heat dissipation from the CPV cell. Two different sets of PCM enclosures are considered and compared to a conventional heat sink without encapsulation. The first set includes single, double, and triple encapsulated PCMs. The second set consists of four enclosures, each with three capsules having a combination of PCM arrangements with different melting temperatures. To assess system performance, a two-dimensional model of photovoltaic layers integrated with encapsulated phase change material-based heat sink is developed. The model is numerically simulated and validated with experimental and numerical data. Results indicate that triple encapsulation reduces the average cell temperature by 16 ℃ and non-uniformity index by 24 ℃, compared to the conventional heat sink. In addition, using triple-encapsulation results in higher electrical output power, thermal energy storage, and lower heat loss. Moreover, the system's cumulative electrical and thermal efficiency is enhanced by 21.3 % and 5.29 %, respectively. The findings introduce a more efficient design that can accommodate a worldwide increase in energy demand.

Experimental and numerical study of low concentration and water-cooling effect on PV module performance

In this study, experimental and numerical examinations of the performance of the conventional photovoltaic panel, concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system and water-cooled CPV system were performed. The tests are conducted under the climatic conditions of the city of Duhok, North of Iraq, on a sunny day on September 25, 2019. During the experiments, the average ambient temperature and average solar radiation were 32.6 °C and 930 W/m 2 , respectively. As well, MATLAB/Simulink modeling is developed by using PV module equations and the manufacturing data sheet. The empirical results showed that the ultimate panel temperature of the PV panel, concentrated PV system and water-cooled concentrated PV system is 57.5, 64.1 and 36.5 °C, respectively. In addition, the power output of the water-cooled CPV system and CPV system was improved respectively by 24.4% (effective 23%) and 10.65%. In addition, electrical efficiency was increased from 14.2% to 17% by using reflectors and water cooling with the PV panel. In the case of the water-cooled CPV system, open circuit voltage and short circuit current were increased by 9% and 5.2%, respectively. Moreover, the comparison between the experimental and numerical results agrees well.

A new hybrid heatsink design for enhancement of PV cells performance

For enhancing the proficiency of photovoltaic cells used in the parabolic concentrated photovoltaic system, a type of wavy mini-channel heatsink, coupled with jet impingement is used in the present study. In this regard, the impacts of wavelengths of mini-channel and jet angles have been investigated to achieve a higher performance. Moreover, so as to assess the effects of water flow rate variations as a coolant, the cooling performance is examined for 5 values of coolant flow rates. The outcome of the investigation is divided into two important aspects: first, the effects of wavelengths on the average cell surface temperatures; electrical and thermal efficiencies; exergies; and heat transfer coefficient is examined and second, the impacts of different jet angles on the mentioned parameters are explored. Studying the solar cell’s temperature, it is revealed that the average temperature reduces up to 4.46% as the wavelength of the mini-channel diminishes from 12.5 mm to 5 mm for ṁ=0.08kg/s which results in performance improvement up to 28.77%. In addition, the temperature reduces about 12 centigrade when the coolant rate ascends from ṁ=0.05kg/s to ṁ=0.15kg/s for the impingement angle of 30 degrees. As a result, this mass flow rate increment offers up to 29.65% electrical efficiency.

A combined thermal and electrical performance evaluation of low concentration photovoltaic systems

Due to the expectations of improving the overall efficiency of photovoltaic installation, the increase solar irradiation that could be converted into electricity should be considered as an alternative solution for existing PV technologies. Low-concentration photovoltaic systems such as reflective surfaces or Fresnel micro lens plates were chosen for this study because they were economically justified and easy to install and maintain. The low concentration systems were studied theoretically and experimentally under sunny and cloudy weather conditions. After the initial optimization of the system geometry and construction, both electrical and thermal performances were evaluated and compared with a reference PV panel. In addition, the effect of additional irradiation as well as panel temperature was studied for a specific period using thermography and digital image techniques. It was revealed that the highest improvement in energy performance was achieved by the panel with reflective surfaces, while the Fresnel plate considered here slightly decreased this performance in comparison with the reference case. The consideration ends with an economic analysis of both systems in the case of free-standing PV installation and a list of recommendations are presented, based on the empirical results. The highest improvement of energy performance can be achieved by the implementation of reflective surfaces, about 20% of the average daily global efficiency, and 15% on electrical production. In the case of the Fresnel micro lens, a decrease in both global efficiency and electricity production is observed, 8% and 21%, respectively. Regarding the temperature of PV panels, significant overheating was not registered; about 45–55 °C for the entire experimental test.

Performance assessment of a dual‐axis solar tracker for concentrator photovoltaic systems

Performance assessment of a dual‐axis solar tracker for concentrator photovoltaic systems

Design and field testing of a sunflower hybrid concentrator photovoltaic-thermal receiver

Hybrid concentrator photovoltaic-thermal (CPV/T) systems generate both electricity and process heat by splitting concentrated sunlight onto CPV cells and a thermal receiver utilizing a heat-transfer fluid. Such energy co-generation increases total conversion efficiency and reduces system costs to compete with more widely used electricity and heat-generation methods in target markets. Here, we design and prototype a sunflower-like CPV/T system that collects a portion of the incoming sunlight using triple-junction CPV cells operating with an average temperature of <85°C. In the same receiver, thermal output >245°C may be generated from both waste heat from the CPV cells and a spatially separated fraction of the incoming concentrated light illuminating a heat-exchanger coil. In total, >65% of incident sunlight is converted to electricity or process heat. On-sun field tests validate this model and guide future development, and a techno-economic model demonstrates a US average levelized cost of heat of 2.5 ¢/kW t h. • Solar co-generation of heat and electricity with >65% efficiency • Process heat output of >245°C with CPV cells <85°C • US average levelized cost of heat of 2.5 ¢/kW t h Process heat makes up approximately 36% of the energy usage within the US manufacturing sector, with many applications requiring medium temperature. Here, Skelton et al. design, build, and test a hybrid concentrator photovoltaic system that generates both electricity and medium- to high-temperature process heat at >65% efficiency.

Numerical Study of Single-Layer and Stacked Minichannel-Based Heat Sinks Using Different Truncating Ratios for Cooling High Concentration Photovoltaic Systems

The present research aims to discuss and analyze the performance of truncated single-layer and stacked mini-channel-based heat sinks employed for the cooling of a single-cell high concentrating photovoltaic systems. The truncating technique of the fins at the entrance and exit regions from the internal fluid mini channels is opted to reduce the energy, raw material costs and time of the manufacturing process of the mini channels. This proposed solution is constrained by several metrics such as the thermal management and the overall performance of the high concentrating photovoltaic system. In the current research, the use of a truncating ratio of 31% has yielded minimum cell temperature and maximum electrical efficiencies for both single-layer and stacked mini-channel-based heat sinks, while a truncating ratio of 65% has enabled more uniform cell temperature distribution. Moreover, a truncating ratio of 65% has qualified the highest water outlet temperature and the lowest pressure drops relatively compared to the conventional mini-channel-based heat sink configurations. The highest water temperature has reached up to 52.7 ∘C by the stacked mini-channel-based heat sink with a truncating ratio of 65% under a geometrical concentration ratio of 2000× and a mass flow rate of 0.001kgs−1. For both the single-layer and stacked mini-channel-based heat sinks, the use of a truncating ratio of 65% has driven the upper hands to achieve higher ratio of the thermal power to the pumping power (RTP). The maximum RTP values have been recorded by the single-layer mini-channel-based heat sink with a truncating ratio of 65% equal to 23.61 ×106 and 233.06 ×103 at a mass flow rate of 0.008kgs−1 and 0.001kgs−1, respectively, under 2000×.

Thermal conductivity, reliability, and stability assessment of phase change material (PCM) doped with functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (FMWCNTs)

The thermal properties of Phase Change Material (PCM) can be altered by introducing nanoparticles, and composite formed from the addition of nanoparticles are termed Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Materials (NEPCM). In the present study, the enhancement of thermal conductivity and feasibility study of dispersing multi-walled carbon nano tubes (MWCNTs) and functionalized MWCNT (FMWCNTs) in various mass fractions (AFMW-0.1, AFMW-0.3, AFMW-0.5, AFMW-0.7, AFMW-1.0) into the Plusice A70 PCM were examined. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and TEMPOS thermal analyzer measured the latent heat storage, melting temperature, and thermal conductivity of the nano PCM composite. The thermal conductivity measured for the prepared nanocomposite showed a 109.5% enhancement for 1.0 wt% of non-functionalized MWCNT and 150.7% enhancement for 1.0 wt% of functionalized MWCNT compared to pristine PCM's thermal conductivity. This statement concluded that 50% enhancement for a 1.0 wt% of functionalized MWCNT compared to non-functionalize MWCNT immersed in A70 PCM. The nano composite PCM was thermally stable up to 200 °C and no chemical reaction takes place between the base PCM and nanoparticles. The result shows that the microscopic structure remained stable for the nanocomposite while the optical transmittance reduced noticeably for the nanocomposite relative to pristine A70 PCM. It can be concluded, the prepared nano composite PCM may be useful for solar thermal, photovoltaic thermal system, and low concentrated photovoltaic thermal system applications.

Comprehensive energy, exergy, and economic analysis of the scenario of supplementing pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) with a concentrated photovoltaic thermal system

The pumped thermal energy storage (PTES), which is designed to store electricity more cheaply, is one of the issues that have been discussed in recent years. In the PTES system, electrical energy is stored as hot water employing a heat pump, and when needed, it is converted back into electrical energy by using a heat engine. As a result of supporting the PTES system with a heat source, the performance coefficient of the heat pump is increased, thereby increasing the round-trip efficiency of the system. These systems are called thermally integrated PTES (TI-PTES). The novelty in this study was the thermal integration method applied to the PTES system. In the thermal integration scenarios were given in the literature, solar collectors, geothermal sources, district heating, and industrial waste gas were used as heat sources. In the presented study, the part of photovoltaic modules in the system where the electricity to be stored was produced, was designed as a photovoltaic thermal system (CPV/T), and the hot water obtained from the CPV/T units was used to support the PTES system thermally. The proposed PTES system (TI(CPV/T)-PTES) was extensively evaluated in terms of thermodynamics and economics, and thermodynamic analyzes were carried out for different values of the design parameters of the CPV/T and PTES system. Depending on the change in parameter values, the electricity storage capacity of the system changed between 0.85 MW and 9.1 MW, and the round-trip efficiency changed between 48% and 81%. As a result of thermo-economic calculations, the lowest levelized cost of storage (LCOS) for the TI(CPV/T)-PTES system was obtained as 0.278 $kWh−1. The results of the thermo-economic analysis revealed that lower LCOS values can be obtained in regions with higher solar radiation values. In addition, the TI(CPV/T)-PTES system was compared with other energy storage systems economically and a lower LCOS value was obtained for certain parameter values compared to Li-ion and VRF battery technologies.

Preface

Abstract The 2022 International Conference on Electrical, Power and Grid Systems (ICEPGS 2022) was planned to be held on February 25-27, 2022 in Guangzhou, China. Currently, the entire world is struggling against the virulent pandemic COVID-19. Unfortunately, each of us is affected, either overtly or covertly. Our conference, 2022 International Conference on Electrical, Power and Grid Systems (ICEPGS 2022) was not an exception. Nowadays, mass gatherings are not permitted by the government. It is uncertain when the COVID-19 would end, so it remains unclear for postponement time, while many scholars and researchers wanted to attend this long-waited conference and have academic exchanges with their peers. Therefore, in order to actively respond the call of the government, and meet author’s request, the ICEPGS 2022, which was planned to be held in Guangzhou, China from February 25-27, 2022, was changed to be held online through Zoom software. This approach not only reduces people gathering, but also meets their communication needs. ICEPGS 2022 is to bring together innovative academics and industrial experts in the field of energy engineering, electrical engineering, Power Engineering and Grid Systems to a common forum. The primary goal of the conference is to promote research and developmental activities in energy engineering, electrical engineering and materials application and another goal is to promote scientific information interchange between researchers, developers, engineers, students, and practitioners working all around the world. During the conference, the conference model was divided into three sessions, including oral presentations, keynote speeches, and online Q&amp;A discussion. In the first part, some scholars, whose submissions were selected as the excellent papers, were given about 5-10 minutes to perform their oral presentations one by one. Then in the second part, keynote speakers were each allocated 30-45 minutes to hold their speeches. There were over 90 participants attended the meeting. In the second part, we invited four professors as our keynote speakers. The first keynote speaker, Prof. Chong Kok Keong, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. His research interest including concentrating solar power, concentrator photovoltaic system, photovoltaic, daylighting and solar thermal system. And then we had Prof. Mohammad Dalour Hossen Beg, Universiti Malaysia, Pahang, Malaysia. His major research area is Polymer and Composites. Likewise, his other research area is the production and characterization of nanoparticles, and production of nanocomposites. Prof. Qinghua Liu, University of Science and Technology of China. His current research interests mainly focus on the construction of advanced energy catalytic materials and the in-situ synchrotron radiation characterizations of advanced energy conversion systems. Lastly, we invited A. Prof. Muhammad Jawad Sajid, from Xuzhou University of Technology. He has a strong interest in environmental management research. In particular, he has vast experience with carbon emissions, carbon footprints, and carbon policy. Their insightful speeches had triggered heated discussion in the third session of the conference. Every participant praised this conference for disseminating useful and insightful knowledge. The proceedings are a compilation of the accepted papers and represent an interesting outcome of the conference. Topics include but are not limited to the following areas: Advanced Power Semiconductors, Communication Systems, Electrical Materials and Process, Mechatronics and Robotics, Power System Stability and more related topics. All the papers have been through rigorous review and process to meet the requirements of international publication standard. We would like to acknowledge all of those who supported ICEPGS 2022. The help and contribution of each individual and institution was instrumental in the success of the conference. In particular, we would like to thank the organizing committee for its valuable inputs in shaping the conference program and reviewing the submitted papers. The Committee of ICEPGS 2022 List of Committee member, Conference Chairs, Conference General Chair, Publication Chairs, Program Committee, International Technical Committee, Organize Committee are available in this Pdf.

Enhanced Net Channel Based-Heat Sink Designs for Cooling of High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) Systems in Dammam City

In this study, enhanced net channel based heat sink designs for cooling HCPV systems at geometrical concentration ratios ranging from 500× to 3000× are presented. The effect of increasing the number of layers in the parallel flow net channel, as well as the fraction of the coolant mass flow rate in the counter flow net channel, on the overall performance of the HCPV systems, are investigated. The various configurations of each proposed net channel based-heat sink design are examined, and a comparative analysis between the different proposed designs is performed under the climate weather conditions of Dammam city, Saudi Arabia. On one hand, the double-layered counter flow net channel heat sink outperformed the other designs in terms of electrical efficiency and in keeping the solar cell operating well below the safe operating limits, achieving a reduction in maximum cell temperature relatively compared to the parallel flow net channel with five layers and conventional mini channel of 11.72% and 12.01%, respectively. On the other hand, for effective usability of the heat recovery rate by the cooling mechanism, the parallel flow net channel is the most appropriate design since it has recorded 27.55% higher outlet water temperature than the double-layered counter flow net channel.

Dependence of the vertical‐tunnel‐junction GaAs solar cell on concentration and temperature

Modelling the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) devices is important for understanding their behaviour and potential. Typically, the single exponential model (SEM) is used because of its simplicity and accuracy. In this work, we validate the SEM for a gallium arsenide (GaAs) vertical-tunnel-junction (VTJ) using TCAD software. This cell is the key to overcoming the series resistance limitations of current concentrator solar cells, which can lead to the development of ultra-high concentrator photovoltaic systems (UHCPV) with concentrations (Cratio) greater than 1000 suns. The results indicate that the SEM is a suitable tool to model the I–V characteristics of the VTJ cell with mean errors lower than 1%. Moreover, the solar cell did not show any limitations regarding the Cratio and temperatures under investigation. In addition, the analysis of the temperature coefficients of the cell demonstrates that their dependency on temperature reduces as Cratio increases. The results of this work suggest that VTJ is a promising solution to produce a new generation of high-efficiency and low-cost UHCPV systems.

Simulation of a Low Concentrator Photovoltaic System Using COMSOL

The use of photovoltaic (PV) systems presents a great solution to high energy demand. Many factors limit the output of PV systems. One method of increasing the output of PV systems is to employ concentrators. The function of these concentrators is to increase the amount of solar radiation falling on a PV panel using optical devices. In this work, a simulation of a low concentrated photovoltaic system (LCPV) (V-trough model) will be conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics software package. The ray-tracing technique, based on the finite-element method, was used to study the performance of a V-trough without the incorporation of a tracking system. By investigating the effect of the mirrors’ inclination angles on the performance of the system, the optimum inclination angles were determined. The simulation was done for a non-tilted concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system if placed in different geographical locations in Saudi Arabia with the inclination of the mirrors being changed every hour of the daylight. It was found that the concentration ratio of the suggested model increased for the city of Jeddah, for example, by 171% and 131% for double and partial coverage cases, respectively. In order to reduce the operation cost, the simulation was repeated with the restriction of the mirrors’ inclination to only three positions during the day. The concentration ratio decreased in this case by not more than 14%. When mirrors were fixed throughout the day, the concentration ratio dropped to about 50%. Such simulations will assist in investigating different designs of PV systems prior to their manufacturing. In addition, it could assist in determining the best geographic location for such CPV systems.

Gamma distribution excess minority carrier concentration model for solar cell performance modeling

Concentrated photovoltaic (PV) technology represents a growing market in the field of terrestrial solar energy production. As the demand for renewable energy technologies increases, further importance is placed on the modeling, design, and simulation of these systems. Given the cultural shift toward energy awareness and conservation, several concentrated PV systems have been installed across the world. This research presents a new model for carrier concentration within a solar cell. The goal of this innovation is to facilitate the determination of the steady-state operating temperature as a function of the concentration factor for the optical part of the concentrated PV system, to calculate the optimum concentration that maximizes power output and efficiency. This model will be shown to produce a more realistic estimate of the current through a solar cell, which will enable further research into dynamic thermal modeling.