A 3D photovoltaic simulation tool for low concentration and sun tracking

Abstract

There is a continuous race for improving efficiency of photovoltaic systems through strategies like optical concentration and sun tracking, even with the constant decline in photovoltaic panels prices. For such complex systems, simulation is a mandatory design tool even though few simulators are available on the market for the two methods mentioned above. This work aims to outline an algorithm and simulation models for every computation step of a simulator for sun tracking and low concentration applied to commercial photovoltaic panels and flat mirrors, prioritizing short development cycle and low computational effort. As a proof of concept a simulator has been implemented presenting encouraging results.