Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Luminescent solar concentrators for building integrated photovoltaics: opportunities and challenges

“…For such BIPV applications, luminescent solar concentrators (LSC) have long been proposed as an ideal solution, having been initially developed in the mid-1970s. 8,9 Although the LSC concept was originally developed as a novel way of concentrating sunlight onto strips of solar cells mounted on the edge of the LSC, it has been explored with respect to a wide range of applications: daylighting; 10 indoor PV; 11 smart windows; 12 noise barriers; 13 a modern rendition of stained-glass windows 14 and artwork; 15,16 luminescent greenhouses; 17 solar lasers; 18 photochemistry; 19 enhanced algal growth; 20 thermal energy conversion; 21 and for free-space optical communication systems. 22 Many of these applications are summarised in recent reviews, [23][24][25] while other works have focused on establishing the theoretical upper limit of the conversion efficiency of a LSC.…”