Investigation of the optical performance of a novel planar static PV concentrator with Lambertian rear reflectors

Due to the demands for energy saving and environmental conservation, the development of sustainable zero-carbon buildings has become an inevitable trend. Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is a promising technology capable of producing clean electricity onsite and replacing conventional building materials. This paper designs and investigates the performance of a planar Lambertian reflector-based concentrating BIPV system. A comprehensive 3D ray-tracing simulation was applied to study the optical characteristics of the proposed module. It was found that when the geometric concentration ratio is 2.0, the optical efficiency of the investigated Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV) module is 62.5% and the radiant flux received by the solar cells is about 1.4 times that of the counterpart module without solar concentrators. Through parametric analyses, it was concluded that the optical performance can be enhanced by selecting a suitable glass thickness and type, integrating the glazing cover with edge mirrors, adjusting the distance between the solar cells and improving the reflectivity of the Lambertian reflectors. Comparative analysis was also conducted for the CPV systems integrated with Lambertian and v-groove rear reflectors under different incident light angles, respectively. It was confirmed that the system integrated with Lambertian rear reflectors shows less angular dependence.