A large U.S. export market exists for photovoltaic (TV) systems for remote applications. Significant price reductions will serve to expand this market and open others. The majority of the existing remote market is for 30 W to 300 W panels. Solarcells remain the major cost component for PV modules. Thin-filmcells are potentially low cost, but technical problems remain that may never be solved. Traditional concentrator technology shows promise but only for larger systems. The workhorse of PV cells remains one-sun crystalline silicon. One-sun crystallinesilicon cells can be easily pushed to two suns concentration without any changes in the cells. This project will develop a2:1, non-tracking concentrator that uses standard one-suncrystalline silicon cells. This module can be fixed on roof tops or other support structures. The module will be very economical to produce, ship, and install. It can immediately reduce the cost of PV modules to less than half. It can also immediately double the production capacity of cell manufacturers without any capital investment. In Phase I, the design of the module will be completed and a proof-of-concept sample will be produced. The module will be ready for pilot production in Phase II. Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee: The PV market has been forecast to be a trillion dollar market, once the price reaches approximately half the present price. Over half of this market is U.S. export. The work planned here will provide an immediate path to realize this potential.
