Cogem CPV

The general objective of the proposed project is to develop “COGEM CPV”, an innovative heatspreader to be integrated in the context of High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) technology. By adopting and applying new materials, particularly ceramics, it is estimated that a reduction of 25% in energy generation costs and an improvement of 3% in performance can be achieved.

By using new components, materials, and technologies, the proposed innovative system with reduce costs by eliminating certain parts and assembly process steps that currently contribute to the final cost of the manufactured heatspreader component.

The objective of Solergy in this project is to introduce a new approach to HCPV by resolving current technological issues and enabling HCPV to take its rightful place as the solar technology of choice for sunny regions. “COGEM CPV" will make an important contribution to the world’s first field upgradeable, 40+ year lifetime High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) system.

This project has receveid funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 674311.

Conceptually, High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) technology can offer the lowest cost of electricity of any solar energy generation technology in sunny areas. It combines maximal efficiency and energy production under high direct sunlight conditions with competitive installed cost. Unfortunately, thus far, HCPV has failed to deliver on its potential because of fundamental technological and scale-up shortcomings, and therefore deployments have been limited.

Through the “COGEM CPV”project, Solergy is introducing a new approach to HCPV that specifically resolves technological and cost issues related to the cell receiver and heatspreader components and helps enables HCPV to take its rightful place as the solar technology of choice for sunny regions.

The disruptive potential of “COGEM CPV” lies not only in its potential to greatly reduce the cost of solar electricity generation, but also in the ability to co-generate heat that can be applied for cooling, hot water, process heat, and higher efficiency desalination.

The objective of the proposed project is to develop an innovative Heat Spreader to be taken in the context of High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) technology, through the adoption of new materials, particularly ceramics, that allow a reduction of energy production costs of about 25%, and an improvement on the performance at least of 3%.

In particular:

• The reduction of production costs is due to the elimination of some components and some assembly process;
• The improvement of performance is due to the reduction in cell operating temperature.

With the introduction of “COGEM CPV”, Solergy can tackle the challenges set out by the Work Programme and the resulting Energy and Climate targets for 2020 and beyond that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase the share of renewable energies, improve energy efficiency and, ultimately, contributing to the establishment of an energy system that will deliver a competitive, secure, and sustainable energy supply.