The PV fibre project: a PV concentrator for indoor operation of 1000X MJ solar cells by fibre transmission

This paper describes the objectives, overall design and first experiments carried out in the framework of the project PV-FIBRE subsidized by the European Commission. The purpose is to cast the light collected by a parabolic dish onto a very compact receiver located indoors in which 324 multi-junction solar cells operates over 1000X. The light concentrated by the quasi-parabolic dish is transmitted to each individual cell by means of a transparent rod and finally by individual fibres connected to each cell. This allows an adequate optical and electrical interconnection in order to reduce the losses. The whole design specification and early prototypes of parabolic dish, transmission rod, cells and fibre bundles have been made and evaluated.