Photovoltaics with full concentration

New multi-junction solar cell with focusing optics (© AZUR Space)

The development of photovoltaics is far from over. The prices are dropping and their external appearance today ranges from textiles furnished with thin-film cells to large-scale free-standing plants based on silicon. Progress is also being made with the technology.

The BINE-Projektinfo brochure “Energy from a thousand suns” (02/2014) presents modules made of multi-junction solar cells, which are combined with optical concentrator systems and track the sun. This concept focuses the sunlight by up to a thousand times and a solar cell has reached a record efficiency of 44.7% in the laboratory.

With multi-junction solar cells, layers of different semiconductor materials are stacked on top of one another. The current standard is the triple-junction cell that consists of three sub-cells. Each of them can convert a different spectral range of the incident sunlight into electricity. The entire cell reaches its high performance through the interaction of the sub-cells.

Because it is complex and expensive to manufacture multi-junction solar cells, the cells are still combined with focussing optical systems. For this purpose, comparatively cheap mirror systems or Fresnel lenses are deployed. This results in highly efficient modules at competitive prices, which are particularly suitable for regions with a high proportion of direct solar irradiance.

The research project is being conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) together with partners from industry. An industrial production plant for these cells has now commenced operation.

The BINE-projectinfobrochure, which can be obtained free of charge from the BINE Information Service at FIZ Karlsruhe, is available online at www.bine.info or by calling +49 (0)228 92379-0.

Press contact
Uwe Milles
presse(at)bine.info

About BINE Information Service

Energy research for practical applications

The BINE Information Service reports on energy research topics, such as new materials, systems and components, as well as innovative concepts and methods. The knowledge gained is incorporated into the implementation of new technologies in practice, because first-rate information provides a basis for pioneering decisions, whether in the planning of energy-optimised buildings, increasing the efficiency of industrial processes, or integrating renewable energy sources into existing systems.

About FIZ Karlsruhe

FIZ Karlsruhe – Leibniz Institute for Information Infrastructure is a not-for-profit organization with the public mission to make sci-tech information from all over the world publicly available and to provide related services in order to support the national and international transfer of knowledge and the promotion of innovation.
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FIZ Karlsruhe is a member of the Leibniz Association (WGL) which consists of 87 German research and infrastructure institutions.

http://www.bine.info/en/press/press-releases/press/pressemitteilung/photovoltaik… – Download cover, press release and info-pdf
http://www.bine.info/en – BINE Informationsdienst english

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