IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i15p5605-d1202286.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Tracking-Integrated CPV Technology: State-of-the-Art and Classification

Author

Listed:
  • Maria A. Ceballos

    (Advances in Photovoltaic Technology (AdPVTech), CEACTEMA, University of Jaén (UJA), Las Lagunillas Campus, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Pedro J. Pérez-Higueras

    (Advances in Photovoltaic Technology (AdPVTech), CEACTEMA, University of Jaén (UJA), Las Lagunillas Campus, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Eduardo F. Fernández

    (Advances in Photovoltaic Technology (AdPVTech), CEACTEMA, University of Jaén (UJA), Las Lagunillas Campus, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Florencia Almonacid

    (Advances in Photovoltaic Technology (AdPVTech), CEACTEMA, University of Jaén (UJA), Las Lagunillas Campus, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

Abstract

Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology offers an alternative to conventional photovoltaic systems, focusing on the concentration of solar radiation through the optics of the system onto smaller and more efficient solar cells. CPV technology captures direct radiation and requires precise module orientation. Traditional CPV systems use robust and heavy solar trackers to achieve the necessary alignment, but these trackers add to the installation and operating costs. To address this challenge, tracking-integrated CPV systems have been developed, eliminating the need for conventional trackers. These systems incorporate tracking mechanisms into the CPV module itself. This review presents a detailed classification of existing designs in the literature and provides an overview of this type of system with different approaches to integrated tracking including tracking concentrator elements, using external trackers, or employing internal trackers (the most researched). These approaches enable the automatic adjustment of the CPV system components to follow the movement of the Sun. The various tracking-integrated systems have different designs and performance characteristics. Significant progress has been made in developing tracking-integrated CPV systems with the aim to make CPV technology more competitive and expand its applications in markets where traditional CPV has been excluded.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria A. Ceballos & Pedro J. Pérez-Higueras & Eduardo F. Fernández & Florencia Almonacid, 2023. "Tracking-Integrated CPV Technology: State-of-the-Art and Classification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-15, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:15:p:5605-:d:1202286
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/15/5605/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/15/5605/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fernández, Eduardo F. & Villar-Fernández, Antonio & Montes-Romero, Jesús & Ruiz-Torres, Laura & Rodrigo, Pedro M. & Manzaneda, Antonio J. & Almonacid, Florencia, 2022. "Global energy assessment of the potential of photovoltaics for greenhouse farming," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    2. Narasimhan, Vinayak & Jiang, Dongyue & Park, Sung-Yong, 2016. "Design and optical analyses of an arrayed microfluidic tunable prism panel for enhancing solar energy collection," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 450-459.
    3. Pérez-Higueras, Pedro & Ferrer-Rodríguez, Juan P. & Almonacid, Florencia & Fernández, Eduardo F., 2018. "Efficiency and acceptance angle of High Concentrator Photovoltaic modules: Current status and indoor measurements," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 143-153.
    4. Harry Apostoleris & Marco Stefancich & Matteo Chiesa, 2016. "Tracking-integrated systems for concentrating photovoltaics," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 1(4), pages 1-8, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Widyolar, Bennett & Jiang, Lun & Ferry, Jonathan & Winston, Roland, 2018. "Non-tracking East-West XCPC solar thermal collector for 200 celsius applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 521-533.
    2. Li, Qiyuan & Tehrani, S. Saeed Mostafavi & Taylor, Robert A., 2017. "Techno-economic analysis of a concentrating solar collector with built-in shell and tube latent heat thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 220-237.
    3. Moreno, Álex & Chemisana, Daniel & Lamnatou, Chrysovalantou & Maestro, Santiago, 2023. "Energy and photosynthetic performance investigation of a semitransparent photovoltaic rooftop greenhouse for building integration," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    4. Badr, Farouk & Radwan, Ali & Ahmed, Mahmoud & Hamed, Ahmed M., 2022. "An experimental study of the concentrator photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator performance using different passive cooling methods," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1078-1094.
    5. Chen, Qian & Oh, Seung Jin & Burhan, Muhammad, 2020. "Design and optimization of a novel electrowetting-driven solar-indoor lighting system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    6. Grubbs, E.K. & Gruss, S.M. & Schull, V.Z. & Gosney, M.J. & Mickelbart, M.V. & Brouder, S. & Gitau, M.W. & Bermel, P. & Tuinstra, M.R. & Agrawal, R., 2024. "Optimized agrivoltaic tracking for nearly-full commodity crop and energy production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    7. Masakazu Nakatani & Noboru Yamada, 2019. "Characterization of Core-Shell Spherical Lens for Microtracking Concentrator Photovoltaic System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-15, September.
    8. Cameron, William James & Reddy, K. Srinivas & Mallick, Tapas Kumar, 2022. "Review of high concentration photovoltaic thermal hybrid systems for highly efficient energy cogeneration," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    9. Bushra, Nayab & Hartmann, Timo, 2019. "A review of state-of-the-art reflective two-stage solar concentrators: Technology categorization and research trends," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Ji, Zhengsen & Li, Wanying & Niu, Dongxiao, 2024. "Optimal investment decision of agrivoltaic coupling energy storage project based on distributed linguistic trust and hybrid evaluation method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PA).
    11. Rodrigo, P.M. & Talavera, D.L. & Fernández, E.F. & Almonacid, F.M. & Pérez-Higueras, P.J., 2019. "Optimum capacity of the inverters in concentrator photovoltaic power plants with emphasis on shading impact," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    12. Sarah El Himer & Salima El Ayane & Sara El Yahyaoui & Jean Paul Salvestrini & Ali Ahaitouf, 2020. "Photovoltaic Concentration: Research and Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-41, November.
    13. Si Kuan Thio & Sung-Yong Park, 2019. "Dispersive Optical Systems for Highly-Concentrated Solar Spectrum Splitting: Concept, Design, and Performance Analyses," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Ahmed Abouaiana & Alessandra Battisti, 2022. "Multifunction Land Use to Promote Energy Communities in Mediterranean Region: Cases of Egypt and Italy," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-24, April.
    15. Yuan, Yu & Ji, Yaning & Wang, Wei & Shi, Dawei & Hai, Long & Ma, Qianlei & Yang, Qichang & Xie, Yuming & Li, Bin & Wu, Gang & Ma, Lingling, 2023. "Balancing energy harvesting and crop production in a nanofluid spectral splitting covering for an active solar greenhouse," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    16. Momeni, Farhang & Ni, Jun, 2018. "Nature-inspired smart solar concentrators by 4D printing," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 35-44.
    17. Mouhib, Elmehdi & Fernández-Solas, Álvaro & Pérez-Higueras, Pedro J. & Fernández-Ocaña, Ana M. & Micheli, Leonardo & Almonacid, Florencia & Fernández, Eduardo F., 2024. "Enhancing land use: Integrating bifacial PV and olive trees in agrivoltaic systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    18. Fernandez, Eduardo F. & Chemisana, Daniel & Micheli, Leonardo & Almonacid, Florencia, 2019. "Spectral nature of soiling and its impact on multi-junction based concentrator systems," MPRA Paper 106251, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Shoaib Nazir & Asjad Ali & Abdullah Aftab & Hafiz Abdul Muqeet & Sohrab Mirsaeidi & Jian-Min Zhang, 2023. "Techno-Economic and Environmental Perspectives of Solar Cell Technologies: A Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-31, June.
    20. James Torres Moreno & Carlos Acevedo Penaloza & Milton Coba Salcedo, 2022. "Applied Bibliometric in the Advancement of Solar Energy Research," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 424-429, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:15:p:5605-:d:1202286. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.