Can We Stack Solar Panels to Increase Solar Energy Absorption?

[chound]

Is it possible to have solar panels one over the other with little space between them to get 10 panel stacked structures to increase the amount of solar energy absorbed?


There are four solar panels. Another 4 on top of them leaving some space between this four and the bottom four. In the junction where the 4 panels join if we have a concave lens of very small focal length. This will make the sun rays to converge at f. Now we take a convex lens and fix it in such a way that the its focus will lie on the focus of the concave lens. The convex lens will make the lightrays diverge and this can be made to fall on the 4 solarpanels below.

Is this possible?

Next:
Can we make transparent solar cells?

 

[Adrian Baker]

I got a bit lost on the first bit of your question...

However, why would you want transparent solar cells? If the solar cells absorb the incident radiation, there is nothing left to 'go through' them.

 

[LURCH]

Is it possible to have solar panels one over the other with little space between them to get 10 panel stacked structures to increase the amount of solar energy absorbed?


There are four solar panels. Another 4 on top of them leaving some space between this four and the bottom four. In the junction where the 4 panels join if we have a concave lens of very small focal length. This will make the sun rays to converge at f. Now we take a convex lens and fix it in such a way that the its focus will lie on the focus of the concave lens. The convex lens will make the lightrays diverge and this can be made to fall on the 4 solarpanels below.

Is this possible?

Next:
Can we make transparent solar cells?

Possible, yes. Useful, not.

If you leave the gap between one layer of solar panels, and use this get to allow sunlight pass-through to a second layer of solar panels, the amount of energy collected by the second layer of solar panels will be about as much (though not quite as much) as would have been trapped if you had simply closed the gap in the first layer with more solar panels.

 

[chound]

But we are using lenses to spread sun light over all the panels so won't it increase the energy absorbed?

 

[False Prophet]

It's the same amount of light no matter how it's spread out. Grab a flashlight and see. As you spread the light out, you'll notice it's not appearing as bright as when it's more focused, though it does cover more surface area.

 

[Nereid]

A more interesting arrangement might be one in which some wavelengths are absorbed in one layer (generating electricity), which is transparent to other wavelengths, which are then absorbed in another layer (different mechanism). IIRC, one type of solar cell works somewhat like this.

Also, why not put a mirror on the bottom of the cell? That way any 'absorbable' light which wasn't has another chance to be absorbed ... on the way up.

 

[aekanshchumber]

Try every thing with the solar panels just keep in mind, its face must recive proper sun light properly.