New Record Set Converting Sunlight to Electricity

December 8, 2014 – Australia holds the new record converting 40% of sunlight striking a photovoltaic array into electricity. Using concentrated photovoltaics the researchers at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, developed an proprietary optical bandpass filter to capture light normally wasted by current commercial solar panels.

Not familiar with concentrated photovoltaics? The technology uses additional optics such as lenses and curved mirrors to enhance and concentrate sunlight. The end form factor required to maximize energy yield can be smaller than that used by conventional solar panels. But it is in commercial solar power where concentrated photovoltaics is creating a significant impact.

RayGen Resources, an Australian company, is working with the University of New South Wales team to commercialize their invention for power towers similar to the one that appears in the picture below. This is part of an 11 Megawatt complex operated by Abengoa Solar in Spain. Abengoa would probably be a prime customer for the invention since the company is the largest commercial solar power generator in the world today.

The research team led by Martin Green, who is Director of the Australian National Energy Agency, Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, will present their invention to the Asia-Pacific Solar Research Conference today in Sydney. A paper on the breakthrough will soon appear in the journal, Progress in Photovoltaics.