Terrestrial Concentrator PV Modules Based on GaInP/GaAs/Ge TJ Cells and Minilens Panels

This paper is a description of research activity in the field of cost-effective modules realizing the concept of very high solar concentration with small-aperture area Fresnel lenses and multijunction III-V cells. Structural simplicity and "all-glass" design are the guiding principles of the corresponding development. The advanced concentrator modules are made with silicone Fresnel lens panels (from 8 up to 144 lenses, each lens is 4times4 cm² in aperture area) with composite structure. GaInP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction cells with average efficiencies of 31.1 and 34.7% at 1000 suns were used for the modules. Conversion efficiency as high as 26.3% has been measured indoors in a test module using a newly developed large-area solar simulator