FLATCON/spl trade/-modules: technology and characterisation

High-efficiency III-V solar cells can be used cost-effectively in high-concentration modules. The Fraunhofer ISE - in cooperation with the Ioffe Institute St. Petersburg - has developed the FLATCON/spl trade/-modules: Fresnel Lens All-glass Tandem-cell CONcentrator modules. A 500x concentration is obtained by using Fresnel lenses which are fabricated directly on a glass sheet. The module housing is made totally out of glass. High-efficient dual-junction cells of Ga/sub 0.65/In/sub 0.35/P/Ga/sub 0.83/In/sub 0.17/As are applied. Outdoor measurements showed module efficiencies of > 22%. Furthermore, a new tracking system as well as a monitoring measurement set up has been installed. The latter allows a continuous monitoring of up to 20 modules. First results are presented.