Review
Energy & Fuels
Kareem Younes, Harry Apostoleris, Majed Bin Saad, Amal Al Ghaferi, Matteo Chiesa
Summary: Concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) with sun tracking have been unable to achieve high power densities, but the emerging concept of tracking-integrated CPV has the potential to overcome this challenge. This article provides an update on the technical and economic potential of tracking-integrated CPV, with a focus on diffuse light collection. The results show that integrated mechanical tracking and diffuse light transmittance designs are closest to commercial feasibility, offering a potential secondary output. The evaluation indicates that full-system capex of up to $1,600/kW could be viable compared to conventional rooftop PV systems.
FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marc Steiner, Juan F. Martinez, Paresh Mathur, Subrata Sarkar, Gerald Siefer
Summary: A method for calculating aerosol content in the atmosphere and spectral irradiance of sunlight is introduced. It is a cost-effective method that does not require sophisticated equipment. The method demonstrates potential as a fallback strategy when regular spectral irradiance data is not available.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xian-long Meng, Fu-Peng Ren, Peng Zhang, Zi-xuan Tang
Summary: This article introduces a novel trough-type free-form secondary solar concentrator for PV/Thermal hybrid applications. Different from traditional imaging solar concentrators, this concentrator features uniform heat flux in the edge region and high concentration in the central region. The optical properties of the concentrator have been verified through ray tracing, and sensitivity analysis of the concentrating structure has been conducted. The results provide support for the design and applications of novel CPV/T systems.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Maria A. Ceballos, Pedro J. Perez-Higueras, Eduardo F. Fernandez, Florencia Almonacid
Summary: Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology concentrates solar radiation onto smaller and more efficient solar cells. Traditional CPV systems use heavy solar trackers, but tracking-integrated CPV systems have been developed to eliminate the need for conventional trackers. These systems automatically adjust to follow the movement of the sun and have different designs and performance characteristics.
Article
Energy & Fuels
A. Buchroithner, B. Gerl, R. Felsberger, H. Wegleiter
Summary: Solar power generation is becoming increasingly important in the energy sector, with a rise in concentrating solar power systems due to their ability to reach high process temperatures and/or high PV efficiencies. High-flux solar simulators are necessary for technological advancements, and a versatile, low-cost simulator has been designed for the investigation of CPV cells or other components and modules used in concentrating solar systems. The simulator meets IEC and ASTM standards, with adjustable concentration factors of over 200 suns in a 50 x 50 mm area and a cost kept below 5000 euros.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Norman Jost, Tian Gu, Juejun Hu, Cesar Dominguez, Ignacio Anton
Summary: The global energy market is experiencing a gradual rise in electricity demand and rapid growth in the photovoltaic (PV) industry. One of the PV technologies, concentrator photovoltaics (CPV), offers higher efficiencies by using concentrated sunlight and reducing semiconductor material required. However, the high initial manufacturing cost of CPV makes it less cost-competitive than silicon PV. To address this, micro-CPV, which involves miniaturizing solar cells and optical components, is introduced to lower costs while maintaining high electrical efficiencies. This review examines the technological advancements and identifies key synergies with industries such as micro-light emitting diodes display manufacturing to facilitate the commercial adoption of micro-CPV with reduced costs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Harry Apostoleris, Marco Stefancich, Matteo Chiesa
Summary: While CPV technologies have been overshadowed by the scaling of silicon PV cells, there is significant potential for their revival through reinvention. By focusing on miniaturization, hybridization with other energy applications, and integration of sun-tracking, CPV systems can achieve higher efficiencies and versatile applications, particularly in areas such as lighting, thermal energy, and other emerging fields.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Susant Kumar Sahu, Arjun K. Singh, Sendhil Kumar Natarajan
Summary: This article presents a novel approach of designing and developing a low-cost solar parabolic dish concentrator with dual-axis manual tracking for process heating and electrical power generation. The economic analysis shows that it is more cost-effective than other existing dish concentrators in the literature.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Animesh M. Ramachandran, M. S. Sangeetha, Adhithya S. Thampi, Manjit Singh, Adersh Asok
Summary: Waveguide-based planar solar concentrator technology has gained increasing attention in the CPV sector in recent years, with its compact design and performance versatility. This review attempts to organize the current state of waveguide-based PLC within the framework of PLC optics and optical material design, providing a systematic comparison of design parameters and system merits for the development of compact planar waveguide-based CPV systems.
RESULTS IN ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Martin Springer, Dirk C. Jordan, Teresa M. Barnes
Summary: Solar energy, especially photovoltaics, is crucial in the global energy transition, but faces challenges in reliability research to meet high expectations and rapid technological advancements.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Harry Apostoleris, Kareem Younes, Matteo Chiesa
Summary: Concentrator photovoltaics have long promised high power densities compared to standard photovoltaics, but challenges such as sun tracking requirements and loss of diffuse resource components have hindered their widespread implementation. Innovative solutions combining tracking integration with partial module transparency show promise for overcoming these challenges. A simple semi-empirical modeling method is proposed for evaluating the performance and economic viability of these technologies.
2021 IEEE 48TH PHOTOVOLTAIC SPECIALISTS CONFERENCE (PVSC)
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
M. Wiesenfarth, M. Steiner, H. Helmers, A. W. Bett
Summary: This study quantifies the voltage loss in concentrator photovoltaic modules by measuring the open-circuit voltages of different sizes of triple-junction concentrator solar cells. The research shows that for solar cells smaller than 3 mm in diameter, the voltage loss is below 2% even at high concentrations.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Stefan W. Tabernig, Anastasia H. Soeriyadi, Udo Romer, Andreas Pusch, Dimitry Lamers, Matthias Klaus Juhl, David N. R. Payne, Michael P. Nielsen, Albert Polman, Nicholas J. Ekins-Daukes
Summary: Shading losses have always been a challenge in photovoltaic devices, but this study presents a simple and scalable fabrication method to minimize shading losses while achieving large front metal coverage. The use of soft imprint lithography allows for the creation of trenches that enable optical cloaking, resulting in improved efficiency in photovoltaic cells.
IEEE JOURNAL OF PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Arjyadhara Pradhan, Soubhagya Ranjan Prusty, Lipika Nanda, Babita Panda, Chitralekha Jena, Rudra Narayan Dash
Summary: Solar energy is mainly used in the form of thermal energy and electrical energy. Photovoltaic is a clean and efficient way of generating electricity. Studies show that the efficiency of PV modules can be influenced by various factors, and using maximum power point tracking can improve efficiency.
SMART TECHNOLOGIES FOR POWER AND GREEN ENERGY, STPGE 2022
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Han Mo, Fanmao Liu, Cancan Liao, Yuanyuan Zhang
Summary: A novel parabolic dish solar concentrator based on an improved 3-RPS parallel manipulator is designed, which can automatically adjust the position and orientation of the reflective mirror facet. The kinematics models of the manipulator associated with solar altitude and azimuth angles are established and optimized using a genetic algorithm. The trajectory tracking control experiment using a particle swarm optimization (PSO)-proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller shows that the tracking error can be within 2.6 mm.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Fan Zhang, Jose F. Castaneda, Shangshang Chen, Wuqiang Wu, Michael J. DiNezza, Maxwell Lassise, Wanyi Nieg, Aditya Mohite, Yucheng Liu, Shengzhong Liu, Daniel Friedman, Henan Liu, Qiong Chen, Yong-Hang Zhang, Jinsong Huang, Yong Zhang
Article
Energy & Fuels
Myles A. Steiner, Ryan M. France, Emmett E. Perl, Daniel J. Friedman, John Simon, John F. Geisz
IEEE JOURNAL OF PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Micha Ben-Naim, Reuben J. Britto, Chase W. Aldridge, Rachel Mow, Myles A. Steiner, Adam C. Nielander, Laurie A. King, Daniel J. Friedman, Todd G. Deutsch, James L. Young, Thomas F. Jaramillo
ACS ENERGY LETTERS
(2020)
Article
Physics, Applied
Kevin L. Schulte, Ryan M. France, Daniel J. Friedman, Alina D. LaPotin, Asegun Henry, Myles A. Steiner
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2020)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tao Song, Daniel J. Friedman, Nikos Kopidakis
Summary: Emerging photovoltaic technologies have gained remarkable attention for their rapid efficiency growth and transition toward commercialization. Accurate efficiency measurements are crucial for these technologies, but are more complicated due to their dynamic responses and susceptibility to degradation. Comprehensive efficiency calibration and reporting steady-state efficiency are important for better comparisons between reported efficiencies.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Energy & Fuels
Vasilis Fthenakis, Marco Raugei, Christian Breyer, Suby Bhattacharya, Michael Carbajales-Dale, Michael Ginsberg, Arnulf Jaeger-Waldau, Enrica Leccisi, Daniel Lincot, David Murphy, Marc J. R. Perez, Parikhit Sinha, Angus Rockett, Sascha Sadewasser, Billy J. Stanbery, Richard M. Swanson, Pierre Verlinden
Summary: This paper exposes the flaws in Siebert and Rees's article and critiques their non-scientific approach to the review process. The authors selectively screen literature on challenges related to renewable energies without discussing well-documented solutions. Additionally, the paper provides a rigorous refutation of unsubstantiated personal opinions presented by Siebert and Rees.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alina LaPotin, Kevin L. Schulte, Myles A. Steiner, Kyle Buznitsky, Colin C. Kelsall, Daniel J. Friedman, Eric J. Tervo, Ryan M. France, Michelle R. Young, Andrew Rohskopf, Shomik Verma, Evelyn N. Wang, Asegun Henry
Summary: Thermophotovoltaics (TPVs) convert infrared light into electricity, enabling energy storage and conversion using high temperature heat sources. This study reports the fabrication and measurement of high-efficiency TPV cells, demonstrating the efficiency of high-bandgap tandem TPV cells.
Article
Optics
Fan Zhang, Jose F. Castaneda, Timothy H. Gfroerer, Daniel Friedman, Yong-Hang Zhang, Mark W. Wanlass, Yong Zhang
Summary: The authors demonstrate an all optical approach that allows for obtaining various key parameters relevant to carrier recombination dynamics in semiconductor materials. By analyzing photoluminescence and Raman measurements, they can determine parameters such as internal quantum efficiency, carrier density, and defect center occupation fraction. This method greatly enhances the usefulness of photoluminescence technique without the need for device processing and can be used for comprehensive material and device characterization.
LIGHT-SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Eric J. Tervo, Ryan M. France, Daniel J. Friedman, Madhan K. Arulanandam, Richard R. King, Tarun C. Narayan, Cecilia Luciano, Dustin P. Nizamian, Benjamin A. Johnson, Alexandra R. Young, Leah Y. Kuritzky, Emmett E. Perl, Moritz Limpinsel, Brendan M. Kayes, Andrew J. Ponec, David M. Bierman, Justin A. Briggs, Myles A. Steiner
Summary: Thermophotovoltaics is a promising solid-state energy converter with potential applications in grid-scale energy storage, concentrating solar-thermal power, and waste-heat recovery. Through good spectral management, optimized cell architecture, excellent material quality, and low series resistance, we have successfully designed, fabricated, and tested high-efficiency large-area thermophotovoltaic devices with an efficiency of up to 38.8% and an electrical power density of 3.78 W/cm(2) at a high emitter temperature of 1850℃.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Tao Song, Charles Mack, Rafell Williams, Daniel J. Friedman, Nikos Kopidakis
Summary: This article discusses the special performance measurement points and methods of perovskite multijunctions, including the measurement of spectral response, spectrum adjustment, and protocols for measuring the power output of the device at STC. It also presents common errors and pitfalls, as well as methods for evaluating data accuracy when a spectrally adjustable solar simulator is not available. Finally, performance measurement methods are recommended for high throughput situations.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Richard M. Swanson
Summary: Under certain approximations, the Clapeyron equation can be integrated to determine a simple exponential relation between saturation vapor pressure and temperature. The equation assumes that the vapor behaves like an ideal gas with constant specific heat, and that the fluid also has constant specific heat. Additionally, the specific fluid volume is assumed to be negligible compared to the specific vapor volume. However, it is shown that this latter assumption is not necessary, and a closed-form relation between saturation vapor pressure and temperature that includes the condensed phase-specific volume is derived. Two examples of how this result can be used are presented.
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Richard M. Swanson
Summary: Idealized cycles for the three most common methods of atmospheric water harvesting, membrane, desiccant, and condenser, are analyzed. It is found that they all have substantially the same efficiency as a function of water removal fraction. In addition, for small removal fractions they all approach the minimum thermodynamic work requirement. This minimum is shown to come from the entropy of mixing at the water-atmosphere boundary. For larger removal fractions, additional work is required, which is shown to come from mixing the drier output air with ambient air.
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Tao Song, Larry Ottoson, Josh Gallon, Daniel J. Friedman, Nikos Kopidakis
Summary: This paper emphasizes the importance of reliable performance calibration on large-size perovskite modules, proposing a protocol for Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and comparing it with Asymptotic PMAX. The interplay between metastability and degradation in perovskite modules is demonstrated using MPPT, highlighting the necessity to develop preconditioning protocols for stabilizing these devices. The goal is to promote the development of consensus protocols for performance calibration of perovskite modules to advance their credible power ratings in the PV market.
2021 IEEE 48TH PHOTOVOLTAIC SPECIALISTS CONFERENCE (PVSC)
(2021)
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Nikos Kopidakis, Paul Ndione, Kyle Lu, Greg Horrner, Daniel Friedman
Summary: Measurements of the spectral response of cells in a PV module are essential for accurate calibration and understanding of the device's physics. A new approach for testing individual cells' spectral response in silicon modules allows for fast mapping of responses and reveals significant variations among different cells in a module. This variation has implications for the uncertainty of spectral correction and ISC calibration using a solar simulator.
2021 IEEE 48TH PHOTOVOLTAIC SPECIALISTS CONFERENCE (PVSC)
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shinjae Hwang, James L. Young, Rachel Mow, Anders B. Laursen, Mengjun Li, Hongbin Yang, Philip E. Batson, Martha Greenblatt, Myles A. Steiner, Daniel Friedman, Todd G. Deutsch, Eric Garfunkel, G. Charles Dismukes
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS
(2020)
