Status and Perspective of Concentrating Photovoltaic Systems: the Results of the Biocpv Project and Opportunities for A Sustainable Energy Supply to Rural Areas

The present paper reports the results of the BioCPV project, a venture of six universities conceived to develop a novel integrated renewable energy system for an autonomous electrical power generation for rural electrification. Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV) is coupled to an Anaerobic Digestion Biogas system through a smart control mechanism to maximize the efficiency and to supply electricity uninterruptedly. The excess electricity generated during the day time is used to generate hydrogen, stored using metal hydride technologies and released during evening hours as input of an electricity generator. The waste heat of the CPV is recovered and used to accelerate the biogas production. The outcomes of the research on concentrating photovoltaic technologies are resumed: two high-concentrating systems have been developed, different thermal and electrical models have been proposed and the results of innovative researches on optics, building-integration and cooling have been presented.