Optimization of a planar photovoltaic concentrator prototype

There is a need to accelerate the development of advanced clean energy technologies in order to address the global challenges of energy security, climate change and sustainable development. This challenge was acknowledged by the Ministers from G8 countries, China, India and South Korea, in their meeting in June 2008, where they declared the wish to prepare roadmaps to advance innovative energy technology. Solar energy is the most abundant resource on the earth. The solar energy that hits the earth’s surface in one hour is the same as the amount consumed by all human activities in a year. Direct conversion of sunlight into electricity in PV cells is one of the main solar active technologies, the two others being concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar thermal collectors for heating and cooling. Today, PV provides 0.1% of the total global electricity generation. However, PV is expanding very rapidly due to the dramatic cost reduction. PV is commercially and reliable technology with a potential growth all over the world. PV is projected to provide 5% of global electricity consumption in 2030, rising 11% in 2050 Achieving this level of PV electricity supply will require more concerted policy support. Sustained, effective and adaptive incentive schemes are needed to help bridge the gap to PV competitiveness, along with a long-term focus of PV technologies, including commercially available systems and emerging and novel technologies. This work is a part of an innovative project in which a research about photovoltaic low concentration is being developed. Both, theoretical studies and practical testing are carried out. Theoretical because of the development of a mathematical model for the prototype and practical testing with electronic tools directly from the pilot facility. The basic aim of this study is to analyse the possible reasons of energy losses at the prototype, primarily due to geometrical factors, that is to say, because of the design of itself. Once it has been analysed, a more optimum configuration will be proposed in order to achieve and improvement in the efficiency.Ingeniería Industria