High efficiency photovoltaic roof tile with static concentrator

Author

Bowden, S. ; Wenham, S.R. ; Coffey, P. ; Dickinson, M. ; Green, M.A.

Author_Institution

Centre for Photovoltaic Devices & Syst., New South Wales Univ., Kensington, NSW, Australia

fYear

1993

fDate

10-14 May 1993

Firstpage

1068

Lastpage

1072

Abstract

The use of a static concentrator as an integral component within a photovoltaic roof tile has the potential to significantly lower costs by replacing expensive solar cells with relatively inexpensive acrylic lenses. A light trapping scheme based on a 3-dimensional rear surface structure for the roof tile enables reflected light from the rear to be skewed around so as to be totally internally reflected at the top surface interface with the air. This is achieved while retaining overall dimensions that fit within the constraints imposed by conventional roof tiles. This paper describes the construction of a prototype roof tile module and initial results of outdoor testing. Also given is a selection of bifacial solar cells that are useful for incorporation in the module

Keywords

economics; lenses; optical design techniques; semiconductor device manufacture; semiconductor device models; semiconductor device testing; solar cell arrays; solar cells; solar energy concentrators; 3D rear surface structure; acrylic lenses; bifacial solar cells; costs; efficiency; light trapping; outdoor testing; photovoltaic roof tile; prototype; static concentrator; top surface; total internal reflection; Costs; Lenses; Modular construction; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Prototypes; Solar power generation; Surface fitting; Surface structures; Tiles;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1993., Conference Record of the Twenty Third IEEE

Conference_Location

Louisville, KY

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1220-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1993.346976

Filename

346976