Performances Comparison between Photovoltaic Concentrator Modules Equipped with SJ and MJ Concentrator Cells Using Different Assembling Techniques

24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, 21-25 September 2009, Hamburg, Germany; 777-781
Since 2002 ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, the Energy and the Environment) has been involved on PV Concentrator Technology (CPV), by way of PhoCUS (Photovoltaic Concentrators to Utility Scale) Project. The Project aimed to the development of a low-cost photovoltaic concentrators technology using Single cSi Junction solar cells working under a medium concentration ratio. On the other hand the potentiality of CPV systems to reach efficiency value higher than 30% is related to the utilization of the solar cell Multi-Junction (MJ) technology originally developed for space application, too. ENEA has recently been involved in the APOLLON project (Multi APprOach for high efficiency integrated and inteLLigent cONcentrating PV modules Systems), funded by the European Union for the development of new material and improvement of existing technologies. The goal of the project is to increase concentrating cell and module efficiency, stability and lifetime and to achieve a suitable cost-effective condition, in close cooperation with many European partners and companies. In this scenario ENEA realized a set of several C-Modules, based on existing PhoCUS PV-C technology and on the use of commercial MJ and SJ solar cells, in order to promptly assure opportunities from the first stage of APOLLON Project, to analyze the assembling techniques used for two both kinds of receivers (working under different concentration ratio) evaluating the influence of passive cooling and thermal behaviour, misalignments receiver-lens, and the manufacturing process automation. Further efforts were also put on the ground by ENEA concerning the development of outdoor facilities at the aim to carry out photovoltaic performance evaluation and objective comparison about different technological solutions.