Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems achieve higher efficiency than standard solar panels by utilizing less photovoltaic material. The primary reason for this reduced material usage is cost, as CPV cells often incorporate expensive epitaxial thin films containing rare-Earth elements such as gallium and indium in Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) technology. By concentrating sunlight, CPV systems require a smaller surface area to generate equivalent power output compared to traditional silicon cells.
PREREQUISITESEngineers, solar energy researchers, and anyone involved in the design and optimization of photovoltaic systems will benefit from this discussion.
The main reason is cost. The materials in the cells of CPV systems are usually epitaxial thin films containing rare-Earth elements (e.g. gallium and indium in CIGS) which are expensive to make, but more efficient than a silicon cell. By concentrating the sunlight, you can use a much smaller area than would otherwise be necessary for the same power output.huzzi.123 said:Homework Statement
Hey guys
Concentrated photovoltaic systems are known for high efficiency performance compared to that of a standard solar panel. But, what's confusing me is the reason behind using lesser photovoltaic material in CPV systems. Can't we use the solar panel of the same size as that in a non-concentrating solar panel?
Regards