EPRI 25KW HIGH CONCENTRATION PHOTOVOLTAIC
INTEGRATED ARRAY CONCEPT a n d ASSOCIATED ECONOMICS
John A. Gunn
Scientific Analysis, Inc.
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
ABSTRACT
This paper describes a cost effective photovoltaic
array design for the high concentration technology
being developed by the Electric Power Research
Institute for utility scale applications. The
concept of an integrated array is to attach
Fresnel lens parquets directly to the front of the
tracker structure and PV panels directly to the
back of the structure thereby eliminating
redundant structural components. The concept also
incorporates the maximum use of automated
manufacturing techniques for all components
thereby minimizing material waste, fabrication and
assembly labor. This paper also describes the
results of a first approach cost and economic
study for the technology which shows the potential
for levelized energy cost below $O.lO/kWh for a 50
MWac plant given a mature technology.
INTRODUCTION
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has
been developing high-concentration photovoltaic
(HCPV) technology since the late seventies. The
program has accomplished significant result& in
cell, module and array engineering, fabrication
and testing. A pilot-line production capability
using existing commercial manufacturing facilities
has been established by Amonix, Inc. of Torrance,
California for routinely producing stable, 24%
efficient cells (1). Conventional high
concentration modules are now being fielded by
Cummings Engineering of Wilmington, Massachusetts
with measured efficiencies exceeding 18% and are
expected to eventually obtain 21% with the aid of
a new Fresnel lens demonstrated to exceed an
optical transmission efficiency of 91.5%. TWO
test-bed 106 m2 trackers have been deployed by
Scientific Analysis, Inc. of Montgomery, Alabama
and have successfully demonstrated the required
0.1 tracking accurancy and reliability. Work is
currently in progress to populate one test-bed
tracker with electrical modules with combined
outputs predicted to result in an 18 kw array.
1320
0-7803-1220-1193 $3.00 0 1993 IEEE
Frank J. Dostalek
Electric Power Research Institute
Palo Alto, California 94303
Given the continued progress in cell and module
performance and reliability, the EPRI HCPV program
has begun to address system cost and associated
economics. The integrated array concept is a
first look at a cost effective design for the HCPV
technology. In order to stimulate
commercialization of the technology, the
combination of system performance, capital cost a s
well as operating and maintenance cost must be
demonstrated to yield an energy cost competitive
with other power generation technologies. Based
upon current performance and realistic commercial
cost projections, the integrated array concept
shows the potential for a levelized energy cost as
low as $O.llO/kWh for the first 50 MWac plant and
below $O.lO/kWh given a mature technology.
Amonix has negotiated with EPRI a cross-licensing
agreement for the HCPV cell and system technology
and intends to commercialize the technology. An
alliance of the above mentioned EPRI contractors,
led by Amonix, Inc., was awarded an EHT-3 contract
by PWJSA to build the first full scale integrated
high concentration photovoltaic array. The
alliance has initiated qualification testing and
will be constructing, over the next few months, a
1 kW demonstration unit as a prerequisite to the
full scale array. A full scale 20kW integrated
array will be deployed by June 1994.
INTEGRATED ARRAY CONCEPT
The EPRI high concentration photovoltaic system
utilizes a Fresnel lens of 260X geometric
concentration ratio to concentrate sunlight onto
back junction point contact photovoltaic cells
specifically designed to handle the high solar
flux. The cells must be precisely positioned
relative to the lens and the assembly must track
the sun accurately in order to utilize the direct
normal insolation. Tracking tolerance is improved
by adding secondary optical elements to redirect
any light that might otherwise miss the cell. The
conventional method for constructing concentrator
W syutems has been to build weather tight modules Flgure 1
(boxes) which support Fresnel lens parquets, EPRl25 KW HCPV INTEGRATED ARRAY CONCEPT
individually mounted PV cells, secondary optical
elements and associated electrical circuitry; to 250x tremel lens
Parquet (4x6 m81nx)
mount modules onto a two-axis tracking structure; mounled to tront
01 array strucnm
and, to electrically connect the modules to form
Array
an array. Since concentrators usually have long 25 kW
focal distances, modules are typically bulky and 150 ma
can be difficult to handle and expensive to ship. Printed Clrcuit
Board PV Panel
Installation of modules onto trackers requires an 13x13 matrlx
1 168 panels
alignment procedure to account for strucural 24 cellslp8nel
High-concrm 111
imperfections and insure that a l l modules are w
' 150 panel OUfPUt CO' Prlnled circuit board
W panal mounted Io
aimed in the same direction. Ctlll8 back 01 uray structure
625 w
*I l.2 cma acUve area

The basic concept of an 'integrated array" is to

integrate the module housing or module structure Figure 2
into the tracker structure thereby eliminating PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD PV PANEL CROSS-SECTION
redundant structural components. As shown by
One plece secondary opUcal elment (reflectlve)
Figure 1, Fresnel lens parquets attach directly to
the top of the tracker structure and PV "panels"
or "circuit boards" attach directly to the back of
//
ff haJ8tlon over electrical conductor

the structure. The concept requires that

components be precisely fabricated and assembled
in order to meet optical alignment requirements C ~ Ipolarity
I
and that the structure have sufficient stiffness
to maintain module alignment under all
operationing conditions. The concept also
requires that water sealing be incorporated into
the design to prevent electrical shorting.

The lens parquets and W panels are the same
physical size, based upon a 4x6 matrix of cells.
The acrylic lens parquet is made using automated
compression molding technology. The substrate for
the W panel a s illustrated by Figure 2 consists
of a three part thermally conductive laminate,
with the front surface being electrically
conductive and electrically isolated from the back
surface. The cells, reflective secondary optical
elements, blocking diodes, and inter-panel wiring
terminations are all soldered directly to the top
surface of the laminate thereby eliminating cell
packages. The electrically conductive W panel
surface is a l s o configured to provide the
necessary circuitry for series and parallel cell
connections (i.e.-no cell to cell wiring). The
laminate plates can be stamped from coils of raw
material without waste and pressed/bonded into a
laminate. The precise placement of components on
the laminate and the soldering operation can be
accomplished with robotics and other common
automated manufacturing techniques. Shipment of
lens parquets and W panels will be much more
compact than assembled module boxes.
The tracker will be a center pedestal, two-axis
tracking structure and will utilize the Peerless
Winsmith low-cost drive developed under contract
to Sandia National Laboratories. The drive is
designed to support a 150 m2 structure which means
it will be capable of supporting 168 W panels.
The integrated array structure will be fabricated
using automated roll-forming and numerical
punching technology. Roll-forming allows cost
effective customization of the cross sectional
shapes of the structural members such that members
can be designed to fit within the available "non-
optical areas" thereby keeping the gross array
area as small as possible and allowing for
optimization in terms of member strength and
weight. Fastening holes will be numerically
punched in all members in order to maintain the
required precision for alignment. This structural
concept eliminates material waste, minimizes
fabrication labor and field assembly labor,
eliminates the need for welding or painting since
galvanized material can be used, and, due to the
precision of fabricat.ion, eliminates the need for
manual alignment adjustments in the field.

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 SYSTEM PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Table 2
The program performance goal calls for ultimately ANNUAL SYSTEM EFFICIENCIES
developing a PV panel capable of producing a peak 50MWac Plant, Carrisa Plains Site
output of 150 W at 940 W/mZ direct normal
insolation, 45 OC cell temperature. Since the Comp Cum
array will support 168 PV panels, this would Eff Eff
result in a 25 kW array. The lens aperture area
will be 0.759 m2 and thus the module efficiency Incident 1.000 1 .oooo
goal is 21.0%. A n optical efficiency of 91.5% has System Outages 0.990 0.9900
been demonstrated for the lens which means the Shading Loss 0.970 0.9630
cell efficiency goal is a minimum of 23.2% (24.5% Lens Soiling 0.980 0.9411
at 25 OC), assuming optical alignment and cell Lens Transmission 0.915 0.8611
mismatch losses of 1%. Amonix recently Opt. Alignt./Cell Mismatch 0.990 0.8525
demonstrated a cell efficiency better than 24.5%, Average Cell Efficiency 0.237 0.2017
indicating the goal of a 150 W panel is feasible. Panel/&ray Mismatch 0.990 0.1997
The program goal also calls for an overall plant Resistive Loss 0.974 0.1945
efficiency (sunlight to AC output) of 20%. Table PCU Efficiency 0.972 0.1890
1 provides the predicted equinox noon component BOS Loads 0.998 0.1886
and cumulative system efficiencies and Table 2 AC Losses 0.997 0.1881
provides the predicted annual component and
cumulative system efficiencies for a nominal 50
MW,, plant, rated at 850 W/m2 direct normal
insolation. The peak output from a nominal 50 COMMERCIAL COST PROJECTIONS
MW,, plant would be over 5 5 MWac at 940 W/m2
direct normal insolation. The Amonix commercialization plan calls for
developing a few 20 kW (based on current
If performance goals are met, a nominal 50 MWac efficiencies) integrated arrays for testing, a
plant would require 2,331 arrays. Assuming a megawatt scale demonstration plant and,
Carrisa Plains plant site with annual direct ultimately, commercial plants rated in the 50 MWac
normal insolation of 2,507 kWh/mZ, the plant would range. The HCPV program cost goal is $2.00 per
be expected to produce 140,200 MWh per year. installed peak watt (AC). In order to evaluate
the progress toward obtaining that goal, a
detailed cost estimate has been prepared for the
first 50 Wacplant assuming 100 MWs per year
Table 1 production. Table 3 is a summary of the results
EQUINOX NOON SYSTEM EFFICIENCIES which shows that the total capital requirement for
50MWac Plant, Carrisa Plains Site the plant would be $2.88 per peak watt including a
10% project contingency. The estimates for the
Comp Cum array structure, lens, and W panels are based
Eff Eff upon program experience to date and cost
projections provided by various EPRI contractors
Incident 1.000 1.0000 and vendors. All other cost estimates were taken
System Outages 1.000 1.0000 from Ensineerinq and Economic Evaluation of
Shading Loss 1.000 1.0000 Photovoltaic Power Plants (2).
L e n s Soiling 1.000 1.0000
Lens Transmission 0.915 0.9150 Table 4 provides an economic summary for the plant
Opt. Alignt./Cell Mismatch 0.990 0.9059 based upon 1993 constant year dollars and 30 year
Cell Efficiency '$45 OC 0.232 0.2104 levelized capital carrying charge of 10.3%. Based
Panel/&ray Mismatch 0.990 0.2083 upon the performance goals and cost estimates and
Resistive Loss 0.975 0.2041 using standard utility calculation procedures, it
PCU Efficiency 0.975 0.1990 is anticipated that the levelized energy cost for
BOS Loads 0.998 0.1986 the first 50 MWac plant located at Carrisa Plains
AC Losses 0.997 0.1980 would be $O.llO/kWh.

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 Table 4
Of c o u r s e , t h e above economic p r o j e c t i o n s a r e PLANT ECONOMIC SUMMARY
b a s e d upon t h e b e s t i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e a t t h i s 1st 50 MWac P l a n t , 100 MW Annual P r o d u c t i o n
time. I t is r e a s o n a b l e t o assume t h a t p l a n t cost
i n c o n s t a n t 1993 d o l l a r s w i l l f a l l a t least 10% Average Annual Performance
(i.e.-project c o n t i n g e n c y d r o p s t o 0 % ) and maybe O u t p u t , MWh 140,200
as much as 20% as t h e t e c h n o l o g y m a t u r e s . Capacity Factor 0.32
L i k e w i s e , it i s r e a s o n a b l e t o assume t h a t s y s t e m
performance will increase 10% (i.e.-cell L e v e l i z e d Annual Expenses
e f f i c i e n c y i n c r e a s e s t o 27% a t 25 O C ) . I f when Capital $ 14,870,636
t h e t e c h n o l o g y i s m a t u r e , b o t h a cost r e d u c t i o n o f 0hM 600,000
20% and a n i n c r e a s e i n p e r f o r m a n c e o f 10% are Total $ 15,470,636
achieved, t h e n t h e c a p i t a l requirement f o r t h e
p l a n t would be $2.20 p e r p e a k w a t t and t h e L e v e l i z e d Energy C o s t , $/kwh
l e v e l i z e d e n e r g y cost would be $0.085/kwh. F i g u r e Capital Contribution 0.106
3 was p r e p a r e d t o i l l u s t r a t e t h e i m p a c t o f s u c h O&M C o n t r i b u t i o n o.004
modest improvements i n s y s t e m cost and p e r f o r m a n c e Total 0.110
o n p l a n t economics.

Figure 3
COST VS. MODULE EFFICIENCY
Table 3 EPRI INTEGRATED HCPV SOMW PLANT
lOOMW/Yr Produalon. a r r h a P~oinssiie
CAPITAL REQUIREMENT SUMMARY
1 s t 50MWac P l a n t , 100 MW Annual P r o d u c t i o n Levellzed Energy COSI.$/kwh Capllal Cost. VWall
0.20- 3 17
0 I 15 e - - - - - - _ -.. - ___ - I -.---*----. - 3 03
Total $ /W Oil0 ,
- - _ _- - L Flrsl Plant

1. Bldgs. 6 S i t e Imp. $ 1,199,000 $0.024

2. Array S t r u c t u r e 36,506,500 0.730
3. ACW Lens/Panels 69,319,943 1.386
4. Power Cor+tioning Unit 5,920,028 0.118
5. B a l a n c e Of System 3,088,000 0.062
200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240
6. Master C o n t r o l System 122,000 o.002 Module Elllciency e 45 degrees C
-*- Cod Plur 10% + YJMW Plant Cml - *- Cos1 Minus lo8
7. Total Field Cost 116,1551471 2.323 + M o d Ell. Goal + Ell. Goal P I U 10%

8. Engr. 6 C o n s t . M g m t . (4%) 4,646,219 0.093

9. Owner's C o s t s (4%) 4,646,219 0.093
10. P r o j e c t C o n t i n g e n c y (10%) 11,615,547 0.232
REFERENCES
11. Total Plant Cost 137,063,455 2.741
1. S. Yoon, V. Garboushian,
12. Construction Financing 3,556,650 0.071 'Commercialization of High-Concentration
Back-Junction Point-Contact Photovoltaic
13. Total P l a n t I n v e s t m e n t 140,627,105 2.813 Cells; S u c c e s s f u l P i l o t Production,'
Proceedinqs of the 11th European
14. Preproduction C o s t s 2,863,000 0.057 P h o t o v o l t a i c S o l a r Enerqy C o n f e r e n c e and
-2% P l a n t I n v e s t m e n t E x h i b i t i o n , October, 1992.
-1 Month O&M ($50,000)
15. Inventory Capital 685,000 0.014 2. Bechtel Group, Inc., Enqineerinq and
-S p a r e s , 0.5% P l a n t I n v e s t . Economic E v a l u a t i o n o f P h o t o v o l t a i c Power
16. Land 200,000 o.004 Plants, Pal0 Alto: E l e c t r i c Power
R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e , P r o j e c t 3166-1 h 3273-
17. Total C a p i t a l Requirement 144,375,105 2.888 3 R e p o r t , J u n e 1992.

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