The Amonix High-Concentration Photovoltaic System

Abstract

Amonix Incorporated (Torrance, Calif.) was established in 1989 to develop and commercialize a solar high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) system based upon a custom silicon cell developed by Amonix in collaboration with the Electrical Power Research Institute (Palo Alto, California). By optically concentrating large areas of sunlight onto small-area solar cells, HCPV systems provide a primary benefit of semiconductor material cost reduction. The HCPV systems, however, do require additional components to those needed by fixed flat-plate PV systems. The additional components required are:

1. An efficient optical concentration system (lenses and/or mirrors)

2. A structural system that can support the solar cells and the optical components and maintain their respective orientations.

3. A tracking control and drive system that establishes and maintains, throughout the day, accurate optical alignment between the sun, optical components and solar cells.