Journal ArticleDOI
Solar Energy Conversion with Fluorescent Collectors
A. Goetzberger,W. Greubel +1 more
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In this article, a new principle for solar energy conversion is proposed and evaluated theoretically, and the optical path length in a triangular collector is computed, which offers the advantage of separating the various fractions of light and converting them with solar cells with different bandgaps.Abstract:
A new principle for solar energy conversion is proposed and evaluated theoretically. Collection and concentration of direct and diffuse radiation is possible by the use of a stack of transparent sheets of material doped with fluorescent dyes. High efficiency of light collection can be achieved by light guiding and special design of collectors. The optical path length in a triangular collector is computed. In combination with solar cells this type of collector offers the advantage of separating the various fractions of light and converting them with solar cells with different bandgaps. Theoretical conversion efficiency under optimum conditions is 32% for a system with four semiconductors. Thermal energy conversion offers several advantages over conventional collectors: High temperature and efficiency even under weak illumination, separation of heat transport and radiation collection, low thermal mass. Thermal efficiency is computed to be between 42% and 60%. Very attractive appear hybrid systems for generation of thermal and electric energy. An estimate of the economics of electricity generation shows that due to the concentration costs can be much lower than possible today. With the use of only silicon cells the breakeven point of $0.5/W is almost reached. Practical difficulties to be solved are: Synthesis of dyes with stringent requirements, identification of plastic materials with high transparency and development of solar cells with higher bandgaps.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Theory for optimal design of waveguiding light concentrators in photovoltaic microcell arrays
Andrey V. Semichaevsky,Harley T. Johnson,Jongseung Yoon,Ralph G. Nuzzo,Lanfang Li,John A. Rogers +5 more
TL;DR: A fluorophore is introduced to match the solar spectrum and the low-reflectivity wavelength range of Si, reduce the escape losses, and allow the nontracking operation in a luminescent/nonluminescent photon transport model.
Journal ArticleDOI
Luminescent solar concentrators: the road to low-cost energy from the sun
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed to use a wavelength-selective filter on top of the light guide, which keeps the luminescent light inside, and achieved a conversion efficiency of 7.1% and save a factor 2.5 of PV-cell area.
References
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Luminescent greenhouse collector for solar radiation.
Willes H. Weber,John J Lambe +1 more
Journal ArticleDOI
Limitations and Possibilities for Improvement of Photovoltaic Solar Energy Converters: Part I: Considerations for Earth's Surface Operation
TL;DR: In this paper, seven factors limiting the performance of photovoltaic solar energy converters are listed and explained, which can be classified into basic and technology-decided limitations.
Journal ArticleDOI
High‐efficiency Ga1−xAlxAs–GaAs solar cells
Jerry M. Woodall,H. Hövel +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a homojunction solar cell consisting of pGa1−xAlxAs−pGaAs-n GaAs was used to achieve power conversion efficiency of over 16% (corrected for contact area) measured in sunlight for air mass 1 at sea level, while efficiencies of 19-20% for an air mass value of 2 or more.
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