Concentrator photovoltaic module architectures with capabilities for capture and conversion of full global solar radiation

Abstract

Significance Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems, wherein light focuses onto multijunction solar cells, offer the highest efficiencies in converting sunlight to electricity. The performance is intrinsically limited, however, by an inability to capture diffuse illumination, due to narrow acceptance angles of the concentrator optics. Here we demonstrate concepts where flat-plate solar cells mount onto the backplanes of the most sophisticated CPV modules to yield an additive contribution to the overall output. Outdoor testing results with two different hybrid module designs demonstrate absolute gains in average daily efficiencies of between 1.02% and 8.45% depending on weather conditions. The findings suggest pathways to significant improvements in the efficiencies, with economics that could potentially expand their deployment to a wide range of geographic locations.