Device Enhanced Performance of Integrated Concentrator Photovoltaics & Thermoelectrics

聚光器光伏组件（CPV）是传统平板太阳能组件的潜在成本效益替代品，因为它使用了廉价的塑料光学器件来聚集太阳光。CPV电池具有最高的光电转换效率（46%），在光集中下可以进一步提高。标准CPV电池的小尺寸（0.3-1 cm 2）可能会导致非常低的电力成本。然而，CPV电池温度需要冷却以优化发电，目前通过被动（散热器）或主动（水冷）系统进行，通常效率低下或复杂/昂贵。热能（高达入射光子能量的50%）可以通过可靠的固态热电（TE）技术进行有效控制，这在卡迪夫大学的概念验证中得到了证明。这个合作项目汇集了CPV外延（IQE plc）和TE模块（ETL）的制造商，这些制造商在制造电子CPV-TE接收器（卡迪夫大学）方面具有成熟的学术专长，和寿命和可靠性测试（班戈尔大学）。该项目的成果将是优化新型CPV-TE接收器的理论设计和制造原型，降低可再生能源发电的成本，并通过技术创新建立英国CPV供应链。

Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV) are a potentially a cost-effective alternative to conventional flat-plate solar modules, due to the use of cheap plastic optics which concentrate sunlight. CPV cells have the highest photon to electricity conversion efficiency (46%) which can be further improved under optical concentration. The small size of standard CPV cells (0.3-1 cm2) potentially leads to very low electricity costs. However, the CPV cell temperature needs to be cooled to optimise power generation, currently done via passive (heat sink) or active (water cooled) systems, often inefficient or complex / expensive. Thermal energy (up to 50% of the incident photon energy) can be controlled effectively with reliable solid-state thermoelectrics (TE) technology, demonstrated at proof-of-concept at Cardiff University. This collaborative project brings together manufacturers of CPV epitaxy (IQE plc) and TE modules (ETL) with proven academic expertise in manufacturing electronic CPV-TE receivers (Cardiff Univ.), and lifetime & reliability testing (Bangor Univ.). The project outcomes will be optimized theoretical designs and manufactured prototypes of novel CPV-TE receivers, lowering costs of renewable energy generation and building the UK CPV supply chain via technical innovation.