Concentrating Light On Solar Panels

Based on the principal that a solar cell receiving more light energy will produce more electricity concentrating photovoltaic solar panels simply involve a method usually using a lens or mirrors to concentrate more sunlight onto a photovoltaic cell.

Concentrating light on solar panels.

Concentrated solar technology systems use mirrors or lenses with tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight onto a small area. Unlike conventional photovoltaic systems it uses lenses or curved mirrors to focus sunlight onto small highly efficient multi junction mj solar cells. The pv systems that use concentrated light are called concentrating photovoltaics cpv. In addition cpv systems often use solar trackers and sometimes a cooling system to further increase their efficiency.

Csp plants generate electric power by using mirrors to concentrate focus the sun s energy and convert it into high temperature heat. As fewer cells are then required for the same area of panel or light capturing area it may then become economical to use a highly efficient multi junction cell. Concentrator photovoltaics cpv also known as concentration photovoltaics is a photovoltaic technology that generates electricity from sunlight. After two years of research its created a cpv panel that achieved 29 efficiency verified by the universidad politécnica de madrid.

One of the ways to increase the output from the photovoltaic systems is to supply concentrated light onto the pv cells. Concentrating solar power csp technologies use mirrors to concentrate focus the sun s light energy and convert it into heat to create steam to drive a turbine that generates electrical power. Swiss company insolight has created the most efficient concentrating photovoltaic solar panels cpv a technology that uses lenses to concentrate light onto small solar panels underneath to date. Light concentration while photo voltaic panels are the most appropriate method for capturing light energy in domestic solar power installations for larger scale systems light is usually concentrated to produce heat which in turn is used to generate electricity.

There are three main systems in use. Heliostats are tracking mirrors that reflect solar energy onto a fixed target. In concentrating photovoltaics cpv a large area of sunlight is focused onto the solar cell with the help of an optical device. This page concentrates on providing links information and plans for build it yourself concentrating collectors and heliostats.

Requires less photovoltaic material to capture the same sunlight as non concentrating pv. Csp technology produces electricity by concentrating and harnessing solar thermal energy using mirrors. At a csp installation mirrors reflect the sun to a focal point. By concentrating sunlight onto a small area this technology has three competitive advantages.

Csp technology utilizes focused sunlight. This can be done by using optical light collectors such as lenses or mirrors.