Optical design of low concentrator photovoltaic modules

Abstract

This paper addresses the necessary procedures that need to be considered when designing an optical sub-system of low concentrator photovoltaic (LCPV) module. CPV systems make use of optical elements and solar tracking to concentrate solar flux onto a photovoltaic (PV) receiver. The performance of a concentrator module is highly dependent on the configuration and alignment of the optical elements in the system. In this study, various design considerations were taken into account to construct a LCPV module that was characterised with respect to optical design and electrical performance