Hybrid Solar Cells Shine

As the race to create clean, renewable power heats up, the solar industry is focusing on a technology in hopes of producing utility-scale energy.

Concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar power — which marries traditional solar photovoltaic technology to large-scale concentrated solar power plants — could ramp up utility-scale solar production, advocates say, especially in niche markets. But as with all developing technologies, the effort faces significant hurdles.
CPV technology reduces the need for large amounts of photovoltaic material, which is often the most expensive part of a solar operation. But traditional photovoltaic companies installing panels on rooftops or in small arrays need not worry about the new kid in town. CPV is, by design, better suited for large utility-scale setups.

“It doesn’t compete with traditional PV. The applications are different,” Collins said. “One’s going to be a power plant, and one is a distributed resource. It’s not comparing apples to apples.”

The technology, however, will compete with large concentrating solar power plants, Collins said.

Concentrating solar power, or solar thermal, involves using the sun’s energy to create heat that can be turned into electricity.

Scientific American