Lower-cost Concentrating Photovoltaic Systems Using III-V Cells (III-V CPV)

整个项目的目标是产生一种新型的聚光光伏装置，与传统技术相比，它将在每千瓦时的成本上产生一个台阶的变化。这不仅需要提高效率，这将由本项目的其他合作伙伴提供，而且还需要提高能量产量，这将由本研究团队保证和量化。要实现能源产量的增加，需要回答以下科学问题：III-V型多结在实际工作条件下是如何工作的？这些部件的耐用性如何？这个研究小组将回答这些问题。第一个问题需要为设备的性能开发一个模型。这将以CREST开发的多结装置的现有操作模型为基础，该模型将扩展到包括集中光伏和跟踪器精度的影响。这将需要与惠特菲尔德太阳能公司交付的原型实际操作数据相对照。这些原型将被安装到CREST的定制监控系统中，并运行12个月。这些数据将用于验证所推导的能量模型。能量产量将作为CREST对新装置经济评估的输入。第二个问题更为关键，因为每千瓦时发电量的价格取决于设备的耐用性。CREST将执行部分耐久性测试（湿热、热循环和湿度冻结），但也将根据性能模型和气象数据集审查设备在太阳带目标市场的实际操作情况。这将允许调整，例如，要评估的最高温度，因为它可能高于用于环境测试的温度。热循环和湿热试验将进行调整，以反映实际操作情况，并对耐久性进行测试，以确保实际操作中的可靠性。科学工作将纳入标准制定，因为国际工作的重点是开发聚光光伏合格测试，第2版的工作已经开始。目前正在进行的关于光伏发电的能量产量的工作将扩大到允许集中光伏装置。

The objective of the project as a whole is to generate a novel concentrating photovoltaic device which will deliver a step change in the cost per kWh over conventional technology. This does not only require an increase in the efficiency, which will be delivered by the other partners in this project, but also an increase in energy yield, which will be ensured and quantified by this research team. To deliver an increase in energy yield requires answering the following scientific questions:1. how does a III-V multijunction operate under realistic operating conditions?2. how durable are the units?These will be answered by this research team. The first question requires the development of a model for the performance of the devices. This will be based on existing models for the operation of multi-junction devices, developed by CREST, which will be extended to include concentrating photovoltaics and the effects of tracker accuracy. This will be required against data of realistic operation of the prototypes as delivered by Whitfield Solar. These prototypes will be installed into CREST's bespoke monitoring system and operated for a period of 12 months. This data will then be used for the validation of the energy model derived. The energy yield will be the input of CREST into the economical assessment of the novel devices.The second question is even more crucial, as the prices per generated kWh depends exponentially on the durability of the devices. CREST will implement parts of the durability testing (damp-heat, thermal cycling and humidity freeze), but will also review the realistic operation of the devices in the target markets in the Sun-belt, which will be based on the modelling of the performance and meteorological data-sets. This will allow to adjust e.g. the maximum temperature to be evaluated as this might be higher then the temperature used for environmental testing. The thermal cycling and damp heat tests will be adjusted to reflect this realistic operation and durability will be tested, to ensure reliability in realistic operation.The scientific work will be feeding into standard development, as internationally work is focussing on the development of a qualification test for concentrator photovoltaic and work on edition 2 has already started. There is also ongoing work on the energy yield of photovoltaics which will be extended to allow for concentrating photovoltaics devices.