Book

Description

The demand for energy and pollution from fossil fuels are increasing in the 21st century. Research on renewable energies is accelerating to replace conventional energy sources due to energy scarcity and rising pollution levels. A 270 TWh power of photovoltaic (PV) capacity was produced globally in the year of 2023, while it was found to be unstable due to its negative temperature coefficient [0.5 %/^oC]. The electrical conversion efficiency of PV is directly proportional to the irradiance level on its surface. Using optical concentrators on the PV surface can enhance the intensity of solar radiation, thereby increasing the power production of concentrated photovoltaics (CPV). Globally, the installed non-concentrated and concentrated capacity will increase to 660 GW and 100 GW, respectively, by the end of 2024. The concentration of solar irradiance on PV depends on the concentration ratio (CR), which refers to the ratio between the area of the concentrator and the area of the solar cell. Concentrated photovoltaic technologies (CPV) are classified into three categories, namely, low concentration ratio (CR < 10> 10), and high concentration ratio (CR > 100). The performance of the CPV is significantly influenced by its surface temperature, leading to a 5 % reduction in power output for every 10 ◦C increase in temperature, while increasing the CR. The use of CPV with more than 10CR requires a solar tracker, which increases the total cost and total weight of the system, while the cost and weight of the system can be minimized with the use of LCPV (CPV). This book will be useful for proposing an effective thermal management techniques.