A pathway for sustainable conversion of sunlight to hydrogen using proposed compact CPV system

Muhammad Burhan*, Muhammad Wakil Shahzad, Seung Jin Oh, Kim Choon Ng

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Solar energy being intermittent in nature, can provide a sustainable, steady and high density energy source when converted into electrolytic hydrogen. However, in current photovoltaic market trend with 99% conventional single junction PV panels, this cannot be achieved efficiently and economically. The advent of the multi-junction solar cells (MJCs), with cell-efficiency exceeding 46%, has yet to receive wide spread acceptance in the current PV market in form of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system, because of its system design complexity, limiting its application scope and customers. The objective of this paper is to develop a low cost compact CPV system that will not only eliminate its application and installation related restrictions but it is also introducing a highly efficient and sustainable photovoltaic system for common consumer, to convert intermittent sunlight into green hydrogen. The developed CPV system negates the common conviction by showing two times more power output than the flat plate PV, in tropical region. In addition, sunlight to hydrogen conversion efficiency of 18% is recorded for CPV, which is two times higher than alone electricity production efficiency of flat plate PV.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)102-112
Number of pages11
JournalEnergy Conversion and Management
Volume165
Early online date22 Mar 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Concentrated photovoltaic
  • CPV
  • Energy storage
  • Hydrogen
  • Solar

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