Title: Recent advances in the EPRI high-concentration photovoltaic program
Abstract: By the early 1980s, Stanford University under contract with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) produced a point-contact photovoltaic cell that has established a number of world record achievements. In 1984 a conceptual design was proposed for a cell package, module, and array system for use in utility-scale commercial power production. Since 1984, EPRI has moved the laboratory concept forward toward commercial application. More than 1500 high concentration cells have been produced in the evolutionary process. Approximately 700 of those cells have been or are presently being installed in fully operational modules for field tests. Over 130 modules have been constructed and are in field testing for electrical, thermal or weathering tests. Two full-sized array structures (each containing 60 instrumented thermal'' modules) have been constructed and continue to undergo field testing for alignment, performance, and reliability. This two volume report reviews the key challenges that have confronted the development of a commercial system and describes the program response to those challenges. The intent is to inform interested readers -- utilities, commercializers, researchers -- as to the primary developments and test results that have been achieved. A considerable body of raw data'' has been included so that interested researchers can drawmore » their own conclusions without needing to refer to the source documents. Volume 1 discusses design fabrication and performance of the cell; design, construction and testing of the cell package and the design, fabrication and testing of the optical system. Volume 2 reviews the module and array programs, discusses other system issues and presents a short review of the technology's open issues.« less
Publication Year: 1992
Publication Date: 1992-02-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 2
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