Photovoltaic Concentration: Research and Development
Sarah El Himer,
Salima El Ayane,
Sara El Yahyaoui,
Jean Paul Salvestrini,
Ali Ahaitouf
Affiliations
Sarah El Himer
Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Georesouces and Renewable Energies (SIGER), Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah University, P.O. Box 2202 Fez, Morocco
Salima El Ayane
Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Georesouces and Renewable Energies (SIGER), Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah University, P.O. Box 2202 Fez, Morocco
Sara El Yahyaoui
Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Georesouces and Renewable Energies (SIGER), Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah University, P.O. Box 2202 Fez, Morocco
Jean Paul Salvestrini
Unité Mixte Internationale (UMI 2958), 2–3 rue Marconi, Georgia Tech Lorraine, 57070 Metz, France
Ali Ahaitouf
Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Georesouces and Renewable Energies (SIGER), Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Sidi Mohammed ben Abdellah University, P.O. Box 2202 Fez, Morocco
Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) technology, by using efficient optical elements, small sizes and high efficiency multi-junction solar cells, can be seen as a bright energy source to produce more cost-effective electricity. The main and basic idea is to replace the use of expensive solar cells with less expensive optical elements made from different materials. This paper aims to give to the readers a rapid and concise overview of CPV and the main characteristics to be considered when designing a CPV system. It reviews the main optical configurations presented in the literature, their advantages and drawbacks, as well as the recent progress in the concentration ratio and the major performances achieved in the field. The paper considers the more recent works, their optical designs, as well as their optical and electrical performances. It also relates the major achievements on the industrial side with the major milestones in CPV developments.
