Planar solar concentrator with a v-groove array for a side-absorption concentrated photovoltaic system

In this paper, we propose a planar solar concentrator with a v-groove array for a side-absorption concentrated photovoltaic system (SCPV) to produce a planar and thin system and reduce the alignment complexity of concentrating optics. The design principle and a design example of the proposed SCPV are described. We demonstrate and analyze the design example in both simulation and experiment. The causes of the efficiency loss of the SCPV are discussed and reported. In addition, we integrated four fabricated SCPVs and corresponding solar cells to form a SCPV module. Moreover, such a SCPV module is demonstrated as a power source to energize a commercial portable energy charger.