Abstract
PV cells generate electricity, but the electrical output is only one component of the total energy produced by a photovoltaic array. A typical PV module has an ideal conversion efficiency of around ±15%, with the remaining energy generated as heat. This heat can raise the temperature by as much as 50°C above ambient temperature, resulting in two concerns: possible structural damage; and PV cell efficiency decreases as temperature increases. Crystalline cells are affected by temperature and their performance drops as cell temperature rises. In the case of combined photovoltaic thermal cells it has been shown that for each 1°C increase in temperature, the power output drops by approximately 0.5% which results in limiting the harvested energy
This article aims to introduce the concept of a concentrated Photovoltaic thermal system using an optical filtering technique. To this end concentrated sunlight is filtered into its major components and then utilised in a more appropriate way. The visible light is directed onto a standard PV surface while infrared is filtered before striking the PV surface and directed to a water column for heating purposes.