Basics of concentrated photovoltaic technology and how it benefits solar power generation

Ultimately, all power is solar power even fossil fuels

. As author Thom Hartmann points out in his book, Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, it is an indirect form of solar energy. This sunlight hit the earth hundreds of millions of years ago, and was stored in plants (through the process of photosynthesis) that later died, were buried, and subjected to tremendous geologic pressures that transformed them into oil and coal. When these fuels are burned in a furnace or internal combustion engine, this ancient sunlight is released in the form of flame and carbon emissions.

Concentrated Photovoltaic technology is the science of using solar power directly as it reaches the surface of the earth. Concentrated photovoltaic solar power has been around for quite awhile, but unfortunately, setting up a concentrated photovoltaic cell array has historically been quite costly. Because of this, most use of concentrated photovoltaic technology was limited to powering small calculators and miniature garden lights.

Of course, the price of many forms of technology tends to drop over time, while new methods of optimization such as CPV, or concentrated photovoltaics, make such technologies more effective, able to generate greater amounts of energy at lower costs.

In order to understand how a concentrated photovoltaic cell works, it's helpful to know a little something about physics, electronics and a class of materials known as semiconductors. Although there are a number of different materials that can be used as a semiconductor, silicon is the most common. Pure silicon is a poor semiconductor, but when mixed with other elements, such as phosphorus, it allows electrons to move much more freely. There are two types of silicon panels used, one of which has a positive charge, and the other of which has a negative charge. When these prepared pieces of silicon are combined, they form a diode, which is like a one-way gate that allow electrons to flow freely in one direction.

When light particles known as photons hit the specially prepared surface of a concentrated photovoltaic cell, creating an electrical charge which can then be stored in a battery.

Historically, the process of generating electrical energy with a concentrated photovoltaic cell has not been a particularly efficient one, but recent technology has enabled the industry to create one that works at 40% efficiency a remarkable achievement that is pointing the way to even more efficient and less expensive concentrated photovoltaic solar power.

Basics of concentrated photovoltaic technology and how it benefits solar power generation

By: Wayne Hemrick

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