Concentrated Photovoltaic technology uses optics to focus large amounts of sunlight onto small photovoltaic surfaces to generate electricity more efficiently than traditional PV. The greater efficiency comes from the photovoltaic cells used in CPV, which can be III-V (three-five) multijunction cells instead of the crystalline silicon cells used in traditional PV systems. For best results, CPV systems also use trackers to continually adjust the position of the cells to track the sun.
CPV Technology and Solar Industry Frequently Asked Questions
CPV and the Solar Industry
What is CPV solar?
How does CPV compare to other solar technologies?
CPV is a “disruptive innovation” in the solar industry with the potential to displace traditional thin-film and silicon-based PV and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technologies in utility-scale projects in sunny and dry climates. All solar technologies have applications for which they are best suited. Because CPV does not require water in operation, uses land better, and produces more energy per acre than any other solar technology, CPV is the best choice in areas where there is an abundance of sunshine, water is a concern and land use is an issue.
How does CPV compare to traditional PV?
CPV has higher efficiencies and lower overall system costs than traditional PV in sunny and dry climates.
How does CPV compare to CSP?
CPV requires far less water, and is less disruptive to the land than CSP. In fact, CPV requires no water in operation, and only minimal water for routine cleaning. In addition, CSP installations must be large – 100MW or larger – and deployment time is lengthy and projects are difficult to permit and finance.
Which geographic markets are best for CPV?
CPV technology outperforms other solar technologies in desert-like climates. In the United States, this includes Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. CPV also is an excellent choice in places you might not think of – for example, Colorado and Utah - which also have an abundance of sunshine throughout the year.
What is the state of the CPV industry?
Serious research on CPV has been conducted since the 1970s, and in recent years there have been enormous advances in CPV, especially in the areas of efficiency, improved optics, higher concentration levels and tracking. There are currently more than 100 companies offering CPV technology, with the majority of them having been founded since 2005.
What drives down costs for CPV?
The drivers of cost reduction for CPV are the same as those for other solar technologies: efficiency, capacity and reliability.
CPV solar cell efficiency today is 40% in production, considerably higher than traditional PV, which is about 25%. In terms of capacity, CPV systems can generate 40% more energy throughout the day per rated capacity than conventional fixed tilt solar panels in sunny locations. Reliability is tied to CPV technology, CPV systems and to the company designing and manufacturing them. A third-party engineering firm has certified Amonix systems as having a useful life of 50 years.
Company
What does Amonix do?
Amonix designs and manufactures CPV solar power systems that require no water in operation, use land better, and produce more energy per acre than any other solar technology. With the longest track record of real-world CPV deployments in the industry, Amonix is proven to be the best choice for utility-scale solar power systems in sunny and dry climates.
Amonix has been in business for 21 years, and has deployed CPV solar systems since 1991. 16 years of field deployments and seven generations of system development gives Amonix the longest track record of deployments in the industry.
The experience, stability and proven track record of Amonix provides an enormous advantage over competitors because customers such as utilities, IPPs and others know that Amonix has a strong management team, is reliable, is well-financed and is going to be here for the next 50 years.
Why Amonix?
Amonix is proven – 21 years in business, 16 years of field experience, 8 generations of system development.
Where are you headquartered?
Seal Beach, California.
Where do you have manufacturing facilities?
Amonix has a manufacturing facility in Seal Beach, CA and an R&D facility in Torrance, CA.
How many MW of CPV does Amonix have deployed in utility-scale systems?
Amonix systems account for almost 70 MW, more than 80% of the total CPV installations. This rigorous field- testing in real world conditions has hardened the company’s proprietary CPV systems and proven their reliability. Today Amonix CPV systems continue to generate gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean, renewable solar power at competitive costs.
Where do you have installations?
Amonix systems are installed in Arizona, California, Nevada, Colorado and Spain.
Who are your customer and installation targets?
Amonix customers are utilities, independent power producers (IPPs), and other organizations who seek utility-scale solar solutions in sunny and dry climates. Amonix CPV technology is highly scalable, and in the near term focuses on utility-scale systems starting at 2 MW.
What is Amonix doing to ensure environmental health and safety?
Because Amonix systems use CPV technology, they inherently require less water and use land better than other solar technologies. In fact, Amonix CPV systems require no water while in operation and only minimal water during cleaning and maintenance. Amonix CPV systems can be installed without grading or disrupting the land, making dual use of the land possible. And because Amonix systems track the sun continuously throughout the day, there is no permanent shading of the land to disrupt plan and animal life.
In addition, Columbia University Center for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) conducted a study of the Amonix 7700 System’s ‘cradle-to-grave’ performance, finding Amonix to be among the best performers in the PV industry for lifetime greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: only 12 g CO2‐eq./kWh.
Technology
What is the difference between the multijunction solar cells used in your CPV system and solar cells used in traditional PV systems?
The multijunction solar cells used in Amonix CPV systems work by layering semiconductor materials that have different bandgaps. Sunlight enters the layer that has the largest bandgap and continues to penetrate the solar cell until it reaches the layer that has a smaller bandgap than its photon’s energy. In this way, multijunction solar cells are more efficient than single layer solar cells because less of the photon’s energy is lost to heat when it exceeds the bandgap of the absorbing semiconductor material.
Used in conjunction with concentrator optics such as Fresnel lenses, multijunction solar cells are capable of converting sunlight into electricity exceeding 40% efficiency. This efficiency rises as the level of concentration increases, but decreases as temperature increases; the Amonix CPV system is designed to keep the cell temperature as low as possible using passive air-cooling. Unparalleled performance under operating conditions makes Amonix multijunction cell technology cost effective within a CPV system at 500x concentration. The high efficiency more than offsets the additional cost of cooling and 2-axis tracking that are required to maintain high concentration.
When and how did Amonix transition to multijunction technology?
The PV energy industry has long sought to overcome the efficiency limits of silicon solar cells, which become very inefficient when exposed to concentrated sunlight’s extreme conditions.
In 1989, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the research arm for several hundred domestic utility companies, approached Amonix to solve the solar cell stabilization problem. Using the company’s extensive semiconductor background, Amonix successfully stabilized a silicon solar cell under concentration. Further efforts led to the development of the Amonix back-junction point-contact silicon solar cell, which was the cornerstone of the Amonix CPV systems for many years. In 2005, Amonix produced the world’s most efficient silicon solar cell (27.6% efficiency under concentration), and manufactured it in a commercial environment – an industry first.
After years of silicon solar cell successes and many generations of Amonix CPV systems, Amonix began its transition to use multijunction solar cells. Originally developed for use in the harsh conditions of space environment, Amonix began testing multijunction solar cells on-sun in 2000 when the company received research contracts to adapt multijunction cells for terrestrial use with concentrated photovoltaic systems. Today, multijunction solar cells today exceed 40% efficiency in terrestrial applications – the industry’s highest efficiency. By replacing silicon solar cells with multijunction cells, Amonix CPV systems now achieve maximum energy output.
Product
How does an Amonix system work?
Amonix CPV systems use refractive Fresnel lenses to focus sunlight 500 times onto multijunction solar cells. With production efficiencies today at 40%, multijunction solar cells are the industry’s highest efficiency cells because they generate electricity from a broader portion of the light spectrum. Multijunction cells also have an inherently lower temperature coefficient than traditional PV cells, which enables them to maintain performance at high ambient temperatures.
Amonix systems align solar cells and Fresnel lens pairs into a proprietary integrated module design called a MegaModule®, which is factory assembled for faster shipment and construction time. Modules are mounted to a proprietary hydraulic drive tracking structure. The Amonix tracking system follows the sun from dawn to dusk to maintain the sun’s focus on the solar cell. This ensures that the system generates close to peak power output throughout the day and produces more energy better matched to the utility demand curve. Amonix CPV systems generate more than 40% more energy per rated capacity than conventional fixed tilt solar panels in sunny locations.
What are the components of an Amonix system?
An Amonix system has five major components:
• The MegaModule® subsystem concentrates the sun’s energy onto the solar cell that converts it into electrical energy. It consists of Fresnel lenses and multijunction solar cells.
• The drive subsystem rotates the MegaModules® in azimuth and elevation to track the sun. The drive system consists of a foundation, pedestal, rotating bearing head, hydraulic actuators, and torque tube.
• The hydraulic subsystem applies hydraulic pressure to one side of the hydraulic actuators to move the torque tube and MegaModules® in elevation and azimuth so that the system tracks the sun. The hydraulic system consists of hydraulic valves, accumulator, pump, reservoir, and pressure sensors.
• The tracking control subsystem monitors sensors on the system, calculates required movements and applies signals to the hydraulic valves to rotate the system to track the sun or stow during high winds.
• The AC/DC control subsystem combines the DC power from the individual MegaModules®, converts it to AC power using off-the-shelf commercial inverters, and interfaces to the electricity grid.
The MegaModule® subsystem is designed for unattended operation for either grid- connected or off-grid applications. It moves automatically from a night stow position to tracking the sun throughout the day, typically generating electrical power whenever the Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) is above 400 W/m2.
Can I use an Amonix system on my roof?
Amonix systems are designed for installation at ground level only.
How much do Amonix systems cost?
Amonix systems vary in price depending on its size and location. Please contact us for further information.
What maintenance is required for an Amonix system?
Amonix systems have few moving parts and require minimal maintenance, which can be done in the field. The typical maintenance routine includes the hydraulics and intermittent washing of lenses.
Does the Amonix system require cooling?
Ancillary cooling systems such as fans or water are not required.
Can I buy individual MegaModules® from Amonix?
Amonix sells complete integrated systems only to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
What is the useful life of an Amonix system?
A third-party engineering study has affirmed the useful life of an Amonix system as 50 years.
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04/25/2013Amonix Achieves World Record for PV Module Efficiency in Test at NREL
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02/25/2013Silicon Valley-based Solar Junction signs agreement with Amonix
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12/20/2012The Alamosa Solar Generating Project Powered by Amonix Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems Named a Top Renewable Energy Project of the YearMore Industry Recognition for CPV Technology at Utility Scale
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04/30/2013CPV Intelligence Brief 17-30 April 2013PV-Insider.com
By ksdickson Apr 30, 2013
Amonix converts 36% of direct sunlight into electricityCompanies and organisations mentioned: Amonix, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, SolarJunction, Boeing Spectrolab
CPV Intelligence Brief 17 – 30 April 2013
Amonix converts 36% of direct sunlight into electricity
California-based Amonix, a designer and manufacturer of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems, has converted more than 36% of direct sunlight into electricity.
A module showcasing Amonix’s latest-generation CPV technology has been in outdoor testing from late February to April of this year. During this period, the Amonix module demonstrated a peak operating efficiency of 36.2% measured on March 14, 2013 with a DNI of 876 W/m2, an ambient temperature of 16°C and instantaneous wind speed of 1 m/s, breaking the previous 34.2% peak efficiency set by Amonix in May 2012.
Over the entire testing period, the Amonix module earned a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) outdoor efficiency rating of 34.9%, a new world record, under international standard operating conditions for concentrator photovoltaics of 900 W/m2, 20°C ambient temperature and 2m/s wind speed, breaking the previous 33.5% rated efficiency record also set by Amonix in May 2012.
The module uses Boeing Spectrolab 40% high efficiency solar cells and Amonix’s proprietary CPV technology to achieve world record performance.
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04/26/2013Amonix Achieves World Record for PV Module Efficiency in Test at NRELThe Wall Street Journal
SEAL BEACH, Calif.--April 26, 2013--
Amonix Inc., the leading designer and manufacturer of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems, announced today that it has successfully converted more than 36% of direct sunlight into electricity. A module showcasing Amonix's latest-generation CPV technology has been in outdoor testing from late February to April of this year. During this period, the Amonix module demonstrated a peak operating efficiency of 36.2% measured on March 14, 2013 with a DNI of 876 W/m(2) , an ambient temperature of 16degC and instantaneous wind speed of 1 m/s, breaking the previous 34.2% peak efficiency set by Amonix in May 2012.
Over the entire testing period, the Amonix module earned a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) outdoor efficiency rating of 34.9%, a new world record, under international standard operating conditions for concentrator photovoltaics of 900 W/m(2) , 20degC ambient temperature and 2m/s wind speed, breaking the previous 33.5% rated efficiency record also set by Amonix in May 2012. The module uses Boeing Spectrolab 40% high efficiency solar cells and Amonix's proprietary CPV technology to achieve world record performance.
This result continues Amonix's long history of leading the world in solar module efficiency, having been the first to convert over 1/3(rd) of the sun's energy in May 2012, and the first to break 30% module efficiency in 2011.
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02/28/2013Amonix, Solar Junction Plot CPV Efficiency Gains, Lower CostsRenewableEnergyWorld.com
New Hampshire, USA -- The two current record-holders in concentrated solar PV (CPV) cell and module technology hope that combining efforts will boost performance, and lower costs, to finally fulfill CPV's promise of lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) compared with other solar technologies.
Last October Solar Junction topped 44 percent efficiency with its multijunction solar cells. Amonix set the top market for a CPV module in May 2012 at 33.5 percent, using ~40 percent efficient cells supplied by Spectrolab. Putting the two together will push the end efficiency significantly higher, they believe, which is the key to reducing total system costs over time. And that is CPV's real selling point over other solar PV technologies: despite higher upfront costs, it makes up for that with lower LCOE over the system's lifetime.
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11/28/2012Western dreams: The Alamosa Solar project, the world's largest CPV plantSolar Server
The Western United States is a big place. The sheer scale of the landscape overwhelms; in many states you can drive hundreds of kilometers in any direction, through prairies, forests, mountains and deserts, without encountering a city.
This land has always attracted ambitious individuals; after the Native Americans came trappers, prospectors for gold and silver, farmers, ranchers, those fleeing religious persecution, and more recently, hippies and entrepreneurs.
In the Western state of Colorado, on the high prairie of the San Luis Valley, facing the wall of the San Juan Mountains, is one of the most ambitious solar projects yet undertaken. Above the rabbitbrush and greasewood are a series of 15 by 21 meter arrays of lenses, rising on hundreds of metal poles like an alien orchard.
This is Cogentrix' Alamosa Solar project, the world's largest concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) project, which we bring you as Solar Server's November 2012 Solar Energy System of the Month.
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11/14/2012Report: CPV could be 30% cheaper than PV by 2016PV Tech
Improved technology and decreasing costs could boost concentrated PV (CPV) installations to 3GW worldwide within four years, according to research.
A report by IMS Research said that advances in CPV technology would drive down costs by 16% annually, prompting an increase in installations from today’s cumulative total of around 160MW to 3GW by 2016.
“With companies such as Solar Junction breaking cell efficiency records and Amonix capable of producing 34.2% efficient commercial modules, and focused on driving down system prices, acceptance of CPV as a utility-scale generation method is predicted to accelerate,” said report co-author and IMS Research Analyst Jemma Davies.
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