Hawaii’s tropical sun – more than a great tourist attraction
Several factors have led to the rapidly growing popularity of solar generated power. The need for alternative sources of energy continues to gain momentum worldwide as a result of environmental concerns, increasing energy costs, finite supply of fossil fuels and geopolitical uncertainty. As research, development and testing continue to advance new technologies, sunny Hawaii is no longer just for tourists.
Hawaii's mild climate, tropical sun, lush landscape, and gentle ocean breezes make it a popular tourist destination year-round. But Hawaii’s ideal climate doesn’t just apply to tourists. It also makes the perfect place to leverage the abundant sunshine – a valuable source of clean, renewable energy.
Solar Energy and CPV Technology
Solar-generated electricity is an environmentally responsible source of energy because it is clean, 100% renewable, and increasingly cost-effective thanks to new advances in technology. Although solar energy has been in existence for decades, it has become far more popular and prevalent in recent years due to increasing concerns over the environment and a desire to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. In fact, it is the most rapidly growing energy technology in the world.
There are different technologies and methods for capturing solar energy and converting it to electricity. The solar thermal method captures the sun’s heat, and leverages hot liquids to run a power generator. Photovoltaics is a method that leverages the sun’s rays more directly. Concentrator photovoltaics, or CPV, is the most advanced and efficient solar technology in use today.
A CPV system converts light energy into electrical energy in the same way that conventional photovoltaic technology does. However, a CPV system incorporates a concentrating optical system that focuses the sunlight onto a small and highly efficient multi-junction solar cell. The primary optical component responsible for this increased efficiency is where Reflexite Energy Solutions comes in.
Compared to more traditional PV systems, CPV systems utilize a much smaller amount of cell material, and the cell material itself is much more efficient than the traditional silicon-based solar cells. Because of this, the CPV system is more efficient, requires less space, and is less expensive to manufacture. However, because these systems require abundant solar resources, they need to be installed in very sunny regions. Today, CPV installations are most common in Spain, the Southwestern U.S., India, parts of China, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa.
Many of the limitations of the traditional PV systems are overcome by advances in CPV technology. Because CPV technology is still relatively new, research and innovations continue. One of the most recent initiatives working to test the most advanced technology to date is underway in Maui, Hawaii.
The Hawaii CPV project
In 2010, a project was commissioned involving solar power generation as part of the High Performance Computing Modernization (HCPM) Maui Energy Improvement Initiative. The project site is adjacent to the Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii. In addition to supplying power to the supercomputing center, the project also serves as a basis for a grounded, research-based expansion of solar energy alternatives in Hawaii and other high solar-concentrated island areas.
EMCORE Corporation, a leader in CPV systems design and manufacturing, provided the system for the project. It is comprised of seven EMCORE Generation III dual-axis trackers, rated at 96 kW DC peak. These systems utilize high efficiency primary optics made with silicone-on-glass (SOG) lens technology from Reflexite Energy Solutions.
The power from the system is fed into the MHPCC, which helps offset some of the power consumption of this supercomputer center. The system was installed and connected to the grid in December 2010.
“EMCORE installed seven Gen III CPV systems in Maui for this project, all featuring primary concentrating optics from Reflexite Energy Solutions, and EMCORE’s state of the art multi junction high efficiency photovoltaic cells,” stated Christopher Larocca, EMCORE’s Chief Operating Officer. “Reflexite was instrumental in customizing an optical lens that maximizes solar flux onto our photovoltaic cells, thus producing one of the most energy efficient PV modules in the industry.”
The Reflexite Difference
For decades, Reflexite has been a leader in the research, development and manufacture of state-of-the-art optical components and subsystems. Reflexite Energy Solutions products can be found in various sensors; advanced lighting systems; displays including heads-up displays, and instrumentation for aerospace and automotive cockpits. Leveraging its technology for use in the solar energy industry naturally fit with its company mission of “Saving Lives, Saving Energy.” Today, Reflexite is one of the world’s leading suppliers of concentrating lens panels -- a vital component in the most advanced and efficient CPV systems.
Victor Grin, Reflexite’s Global Project Manager for the solar business initiatives explains. “Reflexite’s unique offering for CPV system primary optics is a result of our advanced process technology and extensive experience in the design and manufacture of lenses and optics. Our flexibility, quality and expertise enable us to provide our partners with customized, reliable and highly efficient optical solutions that help CPV systems outperform other solar energy technologies.”
Sources:
www.socialfunds.com
The CPV Consortium
