HiconPV aims to develop, set up and test a new high-concentration 1 000 times photovoltaic system for a large-area III-V-receiver. The objectives are directed towards high-efficient concentrating photovoltaic to reach the system cost goal of EUR 1/W by 2015.

Approach
The development of the high-concentration system integrates two technology fields: the high concentration of the sunlight is obtained using technologies used in solar thermal systems, parabolic dishes and tower systems. The high concentration photovoltaic receiver is based on the III-V solar cell technology. With the current knowledge on solar concentrator technologies,
it has been possible to design and build a solar concentrator tailored to specifications such as incident solar power (maximum, mean and median values) and best flux distribution to achieve the best system annual performance.
The most challenging technical development of the project is the receiver. To deal with the high concentration, monolithic integrated modules have been developed with III-V materials and assembled to compact concentrator modules. The heat generated in the receiver at high-flux density levels on the technical limit is rejected with coupled heat exchanger plates. Careful design of the heat exchanger including flow pattern has to prevent overheating of the modules.
Each compact concentrator module comprises a module power of around 2 kW from a module area of about 100 cm² on frameless water- or air-cooled heat sinks. The modules are designed such that their assembly to larger panels for large area concentrators is possible.
Inverters suitable for this kind of solar system have been developed for the use in grid connection, with the option for remote operation mode. Simulation tools have been adapted to perform annual power output and cost calculations for high-concentrating photovoltaic power systems with the parameters determined from the analysis of the components.

The models include site-specific data like solar or water resources, and grid connection cost. A study estimated the installation potential in European and non-European countries. The costs for different production numbers and system sizes as well as cost reduction potentials were evaluated.

Results

The innovative result of this project is a compact concentrator photovoltaic module for the application in concentrating solar power systems at 1 000 times concentration. Each compact concentrator module comprises a module power of around 2 kW – from a module area of about
100 cm² on frameless water- or air-cooled heat sinks. Single-junction solar cells made of gallium arsenide (GaAs) are considered for this new technology and efficiencies of 20 % are reached. The adaptation of the concentrator technology and of the inverters has been finished.

Future prospects
In the future multi-junction solar cells on the basis of III-V-semiconductors with efficiencies above 30 % can be used. In combination with an increase of the system size, a bigger concentrator and module, the system cost goals could be achieved.

The results of this project:

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