University of Ferrara

University of Ferrara is active in the area of concentrator photovoltaic systems since the year 2000 and participated already in several R&D projects in this field.

The most important has been the Ideoconte project (“Identification and Development of the Optimum Si-cells Concentrator Technology for PV Power Systems “ Contract: ENK5-CT-2002-00617) addressing the problem of the identification of optimal, from the cost/benefit point of view, silicon concentrator technology.

The results of this project, together with other evidences collected during the research work, led the project leader, Prof. Giuliano Martinelli, to the conclusion that massive development of concentrator photovoltaic systems for power generation at the utility scale will require a sharp increase of system efficiency with a reduction of the “per watt” cost.

A possible path for this reduction has been identified in the possibility to spectrally divide the concentrated light beam and to employ simultaneously different photoactive materials sending each portion of the differently “coloured” light beams on the material that can exploit it in the best way.

This approach lead to the international patent PCT No. PCT/EP2006/061435 ref. 6487PTWO recently transferred to CPower to foster industrial research in this area.

The University continues in its effort to develop practical and economical solutions to the issues related to the beam spectral separation and to the cell development.