Next-generation solar technology could drastically change the industry: 'These advancements ... expand its application possibilities'

A company and a research institute are working together to bring concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) back into the solar energy spotlight with their micro-CPV technology that boasts 36% conversion efficiency.

Soltec is a Spanish company that works on integrated photovoltaic solutions, with a focus on tracking technology that can direct panels toward the sun throughout the day. 

Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE touts a world record with 47.6% solar cell efficiency from its four-junction panel, which it set back in 2022. 

Now, it's developed a new micro-CPV setup, which uses optical systems to focus light onto small solar cells made with III-V semiconductor materials, according to CleanTechnica. 

Fraunhofer ISE's record-setting panels focused rays into a concentration equal to 665 suns, but the company claims the new CPVs will operate with a concentration of nearly 1,000 suns.

Add to that Soltec's sun-tracking system, and placement in areas with high direct solar irradiance like equatorial regions, and you get a 30% increase in energy generation compared to conventional photovoltaic solutions, as the institute states. 

Since these solar panels concentrate the sun's rays onto small cells, the company will need less semiconductor materials to make them, and it also reduces the physical footprint of the actual photovoltaic array. 

"Resource efficiency is becoming an increasingly important topic in photovoltaics. Compared to the state-of-the-art, our micro-CPV technology reduces module areas by 30 percent and semiconductor materials by 1,300 times at comparable power output," Dr. Frank Dimroth, department head of III-V and Concentrator Photovoltaics at Fraunhofer ISE, detailed. 

"This helps to [save] precious materials and energy in the production process and therefore improves sustainability."

Solar installations have been growing across the globe, with around 30% of the world's power coming from the clean and sustainable power of the sun. This has also led to large expanses of sun-collecting panels, including the world's largest plant in China, which has over 5 million panels. 

Since the micro-CPV technology offers more efficient energy conversion from a smaller setup, it could drastically change the landscape of future installations, at least in sunnier areas of the world. 

The renewable energy sector could also see a boost from this development, driving more investment into cleaner energy sources such as solar and further reducing the need for dirty fuels, which spew planet-warming pollution into the atmosphere. 

"This collaboration between Soltec and Fraunhofer ISE confirms the vision of both institutions. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future to further elevate the use of solar energy," said Eduardo de San Nicolás, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Soltec, per the statement.

"These advancements not only represent a step forward in photovoltaic solar energy but also expand its application possibilities across various sectors," he added. 

Although it's still in the prototype phase, Soltec and Fraunhofer ISE plan to roll out the first test installation in Spain by the end of 2024. 

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