The promise of concentrators

This paper addresses the issue of why concentrator systems have not gained a significant market share. The history of concentrator development is reviewed, and the status of existing concentrator efforts outlined. A critical look at the requirements to propel concentrators to a prominent market role in large-scale power production is presented. Various concentrator and flat-plate PV system approaches are compared by computing the expected cost of energy, and conclusions are drawn as to what the best course of action will be. Concentrator systems are projected to be the lowest-cost, lowest-risk PV option for medium and large PV power plants. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.