High-Efficiency Solar Energy Conversion
Our solar converters are multi-junction and multi-spectral types, capable of converting a solar beam concentrated to over 100 sun into electricity by using Fresnel Lens concentrators. The recent achievement (Figure 1) of a 40% conversion efficiency in the multi-junctions of InGaP, GaAs, and Ge has led to a goal of getting them on large flexible sheets. It appears that the mainstream converter type will be multi-junction photovoltaic type. However, high efficiency is unlikely to occur in large sheet forms, due to their non-crystallinity, though the quest of crystalline sheets will persist.
Figure 1. Multi-Junction Technology Mainstream.
Instead, we can realize high efficiency in large sheet form by concentrating the sun with a sheet of diffractive (Fresnel) lenses onto high-efficiency converters. (Figures 2a and 2b)
Figure 2a. Solar Converter Module Panel - Front.
Figure 2b. Solar Converter Module Panel - Back.
This simple integration of lenses and converters leads us to develop this module of about 2.8 m x 1.4 m x 0.3 m. This panel is made up of 32 submodules (Figure 3) each is capable of producing about 100 watt of electricity.
Figure 3. Solar Converter Submodule.
Our solar converter modules can also be made into a flexible substrate capable of conforming to curved surfaces (Figure 4) which shows the flexible module is made up of an array for micron concentrators.
Figure 4. Flexible Solar Converter Module Conformable to Curved Surfaces.
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