Light-guide solar module, method of fabrication thereof, and panel made therefrom

Abstract

A photovoltaic light guide solar concentration apparatus has a deflecting layer, a light-guide layer optically coupled to the deflecting layer, a secondary optic and a photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic concentration apparatus has a central optical axis that, in operation, is parallel to incident sunlight. A deflecting layer includes a plurality of focusing elements symmetrically arranged with respect to the central optical axis. The light-guide layer is optically coupled to the plurality of focusing elements of the deflecting layer. The light-guide layer has a reflective surface and a plurality of opposite facets symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis and focused sunlight from the deflection layer enters the light-guide layer and is directed and trapped by the reflective surface and the opposite facets and guided inside the light-guide layer towards an exit aperture through total internal reflections. A secondary optic is coaxially located with respect to the central optical axis and is coupled to the light guide layer the secondary optic that has at least one reflective surface. The secondary optic redirects the light towards the exit aperture. A photovoltaic cell is located at the exit aperture and on the central axis to receive sunlight from the secondary optic within an acceptance angle relative to the central axis.