Concentrix Solar Explained

Concentrix Solar GmbH was a German solar power company based in Freiburg, Germany, that specialized in developing and commercializing concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) technology. In December 2009, Concentrix Solar was acquired by the French Soitec Group.[1] In January 2015, Soitec announced its intention to exit from the CPV business, citing a lack of sales due to competition from lower-cost conventional photovoltaics.[2] [3] An agreed sale of the business to Chinese firm ConcenSolar (an entity having ties with Suncore Photovoltaics) in May 2015 was not completed.[4] [5] In January 2017, the technology and manufacturing assets were acquired by Saint-Augustin Canada Electric (a former General Electric subsidiary).[6]

History

Concentrix Solar was founded in 2005, as a spin-off company of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. Concentrix Solar builds large concentrator solar power plants suitable for sunny areas.[7] In 2007, Concentrix Solar was awarded the Innovation Award of the German Economy for its CPV technology.[8] From February 2006 to December 2009, the investment company Good Energies was invested in Concentrix Solar.[9] Abengoa Solar was an investor of Concentrix Solar from November 2007 to December 2009.[10]

Technology development

Concentrix concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) modules bundle sunlight up to 500 times with the use of Fresnel lenses and focus it on III-V based triple-junction solar cells (GaInP/GaInAs/Ge),[11] which then convert the light into electrical energy.[12] To ensure that the sunlight is concentrated precisely on the solar cell the CPV modules are installed on a two-axis sun tracking system.[13] With its technology, Concentrix Solar achieves a module efficiency of 27%.[14]

Technology commercialization

Concentrix's tracker and CPV module technologies have been installed in 28 countries worldwide.[15] The largest installation is the 44 MWp (36 MWAC) CPV1 generator completed in 2014 and located near Touws River, South Africa.[16] As of 2019, it is the second largest CPV power station in the world.[17]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Soitec expands into the fast growing solar energy market with the acquisition [sic] of Concentrix Solar . https://web.archive.org/web/20100301142446/http://www.concentrix-solar.de/news/newssingle/artikel/soitec-expandiert-mit-der-uebernahme-von-concentrix-solar/6/?L=1&cHash=f07acaf2d3 . dead . 2010-03-01 . 2009-12-12 .
  2. Web site: Soitec To Give Up on Solar CPV . Renewable Energy World . 2015-01-20 . 2019-02-04 .
  3. Web site: CPV Hopeful Soitec Exits the Solar Business . Green Tech Media . 2015-01-25 . 2019-02-04 .
  4. Web site: Soitec Divests its Solar Business to Refocus on its Core Semiconductor Activities . Soitec . 2015-05-21 . 2019-02-04 .
  5. Web site: Soitec announces the end of negotiations with Concensolar regarding a sale of solar assets and continues its refocus on electronics . Financial Times . 2015-08-05 . 2019-02-04 .
  6. Web site: Saint-Augustin Canada Electric Inc.(STACE) acquires Soitec solar CPV technology . 2017-01-19 . STACE . 2019-01-24 .
  7. Web site: Concentrix Solar: Company . https://web.archive.org/web/20081225024424/http://www.concentrix-solar.de/company/?L=1 . dead . 2008-12-25 . 2008-12-03 .
  8. Web site: Innovationspreis der Deutschen Wirtschaft . 2008-12-03 .
  9. Web site: Investment Portfolio – Good Energies . 2008-12-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080918023709/http://www.goodenergies.com/investment/investment-portfolio.php . 2008-09-18 .
  10. Web site: Concentrix Solar: Combining existing expertise for new energy . https://web.archive.org/web/20160126041631/http://www.concentrix-solar.de/news/newssingle/seite/1/artikel/kompetenzbuendelung-fuer-neue-energie/6/?L=1&cHash=6a9002f5d3 . dead . 2016-01-26 . 2008-12-03 .
  11. Web site: Concentrix Solar: High Performance Cells . https://web.archive.org/web/20100710070746/http://www.concentrix-solar.de/technology/high-performance-cells/?L=1 . dead . 2010-07-10 . 2008-12-03 .
  12. Web site: Innovationspreis der Deutschen Wirtschaft 2007 Finalisten . 2008-12-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080513094018/http://www.innovationspreis.com/preistraeger/info2007/concentrix.html . May 13, 2008 .
  13. Web site: Concentrix Solar: Tracking System . https://web.archive.org/web/20081004174454/http://www.concentrix-solar.de/technology/tracking-system/?L=1 . dead . 2008-10-04 . 2008-12-03 .
  14. Web site: Concentrix Solar: Concentrator Modules . 2008-12-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160126041631/http://www.concentrix-solar.de/technology/concentrator-modules/?L=1 . 2016-01-26 .
  15. Web site: Solar Energy - Soitec CPV Installations - 2014 . Soitec . 2019-03-07.
  16. Web site: Projects: Touwsrivier . cpvconsortium.org . 2019-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170101005620/http://cpvconsortium.org/projects/26 . 2017-01-01 . dead .
  17. Web site: List of Project Capacities . cpvconsortium.org . 2019-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190123223919/http://cpvconsortium.org/capacities . 2019-01-23 . dead .

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