Stacking and Angling Panels to Increase Output

[Will Prowse]

These guys are using basic rich solar panels in various configurations to increase overall output.

They stated that most radiation is not absorbed when first hit, so anything that gets reflected gets absorbed by the adjacent panel.

I tried to get some figures for overall increase of output over the day and they didn't have any solid numbers unfortunately. Seems like they are in the tinkering stage but I would love to try this out at home! Especially for an RV mounted system where space savings is paramount.

 

[Partimewages]

Let's see some experiments!

 

[Robert Ibe]

Amazing breakthrough , Investors needed

 

[Will Prowse]

I have seen other proof of concept angled towers with solar panels. But the Big Red flag is why aren't the solar farms using it. There are some smart cookies designing those big installations.

This is the most popular design that I saw in media circulation. But why don't we ever see these?

 

[Will Prowse]

A potential downside I just thought of is that each panel that's angled differently will have its own Power Point that needs to be tracked. With a dedicated charge controller. Just the cost of that alone makes it tough to justify

 

[Will Prowse]

Also the panels cannot have the same convective airflow as calculated when they are designed. So hot spots will occur and you will have faster cell degradation that's non-uniform

 

[Quattrohead]

Snake oil

 

[Hedges]

Maybe it works for panels with high reflection.
Anti-reflective coatings probably reduce the effect significantly.

2-5 times the energy from same space compared to what?
Probably not the 21% efficient panels we can buy today.
Maybe compared to some special 6% or 3% panels.

How many W/m^2 do they claim?

 

[Sigunas]

EEVBlog on different product, but sort of same snake oil: TIPA: The World's Most Efficient Solar Panel. From 7 minute what marketing says and from 10 minute reality.

 

[12vDC]

What is the standard test measurement which produces PV panel efficiency? And wouldnt that measurement be absolute?

Or are they saying they can extract the extra 1-3% efficiency difference from the lab conditions to real world?

 

[AmpD]

My first thought would be bifacial panels on top set of panels.

 

[registered-bum]

Have they demonstrated the ROI and specific use cases where these are justified?

1) Panels are significantly cheaper at this moment than ever before (as if there were a glut of these)
2) In Western US there's generally sufficient real estate for sh!t tons of panels

 

[Will Prowse]

Maybe it works for panels with high reflection.
Anti-reflective coatings probably reduce the effect significantly.

2-5 times the energy from same space compared to what?
Probably not the 21% efficient panels we can buy today.
Maybe compared to some special 6% or 3% panels.

How many W/m^2 do they claim?

Such a good point!! I didn't even consider anti reflective coatings!

No real figures they claim. They didn't have any numbers ready to go. Nice guys but hobbyists for sure. I'm surprised they had a booth.

 

[Warpspeed]

Its a really crappy picture, but here is what I did.
One row at optimum winter angle, and another row at optimum summer angle.
Each row of 8 panels has its own independent solar controller.
Seems to work pretty well, and no shading issues just having two long single rows.
Where it is, its well shielded from wind loading from the back, and its been working completely reliably for six years.
I suppose its entirely possible with low winter sun angle, there is some reflection onto the raised winter panels, I really do not know....

 

[scrubjaysnest]

Its a really crappy picture, but here is what I did.
One row at optimum winter angle, and another row at optimum summer angle.
Each row of 8 panels has its own independent solar controller.
Seems to work pretty well, and no shading issues just having two long single rows.
Where it is, its well shielded from wind loading from the back, and its been working completely reliably for six years.
I suppose its entirely possible with low winter sun angle, there is some reflection onto the raised winter panels, I really do not know....

Saw something like this at an AZ property we missed out on.

 

[AntronX]

Shattering and solar are not the words I want to see in one sentence.

 

[Robert Ibe]

The statement on their sign "2 - 5 times the energy from the same space" and not having any solid numbers to share does not instill confidence.

 

[JimP]

The statement on their sign "2 - 5 times the energy from the same space" and not having any solid numbers to share does not instill confidence.

5x current panels would be over 100% efficient. It must suck in light from other nearby square meters

 

[JRH]

Just move to mercury…avoid all this effort.