Concentrator PV-Systems (CPV)

Concentrator photovoltaic systems (CPV) bundle the sunlight and focus the light on a very small solar cell (silicon or III-V cells) using lenses or mirrors. The surface area of solar cells needed can thus be reduced to a fraction of what is needed when using regular solar cells. When using triple-junction solar cells (multiple solar cells with three monolithically stapeled p-n junctions) like galliumarsenid (GaAs) cells with concentrator solar cells efficiency rates up to 41% are achieved. GaAs cells are very heat resistent and the decline of the output at high temperatures is much lower compared to silicon solar cells.

Concentrator photovoltaic systems make it possible to build solar power plants at sunny locations with an AC efficiency rate of up to 25%.