Comparison of efficiency measurements for a HCPV module with 3J cells in 3 sites

A new HCPV with 3J solar cells and new concentrator optics consisting in a dome-shaped Fresnel lens and a kaleidoscope homogenizer was presented in the last SCC2003. This paper summarizes the evaluation done by three independent organizations and a manufacturer. The peak uncorrected efficiency for a 7,056 cm² 400× (geometrical concentration ratio) module with 36 solar cells connected in series was 26.6% was measured in house. The peak uncorrected efficiencies of the same type of the module with 6 solar cells connected in series and 1,176 cm² area measured by Fraunhofer ISE, NREL and Toyohashi University of Technology were 27.4%, 24.8% and 25.9% respectively. The peak uncorrected efficiency for a 550× and 5,445 cm² module with 20 solar cells connected in series was 28.9% in house. The peak uncorrected efficiency of the 550× (geometrical concentration ratio) module evaluated by Toyohashi University of Technology was 27.0 %. The temperature corrected efficiency under the best sunshine condition in Japan for the 550× module was 31.5 ± 1.7%.