IBM Concentrator PhotoVoltaic (CPV) Solar Power Research Breakthrough
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.17.08
The initial results of this project will be presented at the 33rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists conference today, where the IBM researchers will detail how their liquid metal cooling interface is able to transfer heat from the solar cell to a copper cooling plate much more efficiently than anything else available today.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/ibm-concentrator-photo-voltaicsolar-power_.phpNews release: "MIT opens new 'window' on solar energy
A Q&A by the MIT research team led by Marc A. Baldo, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Career Development Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, on solar concentrators
We demonstrated a large improvement in the performance of low-cost solar concentrators. Our new devices increase the power obtained from solar cells by a factor of over 40 without needing to track the sun. Our results are at least a factor of four better than previous results.1
When will these concentrators make it into production? The technology is being further developed for commercialization by Covalent Solar, a company being spun out of MIT by three of its inventors: Michael Currie, Jon Mapel, and Shalom Goffri. The team believes that it could be implemented within three years.
References 1. Currie, M. J., Mapel, J. K., Heidel, T. D., Goffri, S. & Baldo, M. A. High-efficiency Organic Solar Concentrators for Photovoltaics. Science. In Press.
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/solarcells-faq-0710.html'Solar Concentrator' Windows Could Also Generate Energy- MIT
Dye painted on existing solar panels increases efficiency 50%
http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_releases/solar_concentrator_windows_could_also_generate_energyhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25628993/