Siemens bets on next big thing in solar PV

What’s the next big technology in solar energy? Siemens is banking on high concentrating photovoltaics (HCPV), which uses lenses to focus sunlight onto small, ultra-efficient solar cells.

Seeing a bright future in the alternative to conventional photovoltaics, Siemens has taken a 16-percent minority stake in the HCPV company Semprius, based in Durham, North Carolina. According to Siemens, the investment gives it “early access to a highly promising technology for CO2-free power generation from solar energy.”

Details of the investment were not disclosed.

“Participating in Semprius provides us access to trailblazing technology for clean power generation,” says Martin Schulz, vice president of photovoltaics in the renewable energy division of Siemens Energy. “We believe the prospects are bright for high concentrating photovoltaic systems that enable significantly higher efficiencies than conventional PV modules, and at the same time, offer enormous potential to achieve competitive levelized costs of electricity.”

Semprius’ HCPV modules use high-performance lenses to focus sunlight onto very small, highly efficient solar cells. Besides its high conversion rates and low cost, the technology is appealing because of it reliability, flexible design and modular configuration. The first full test installation of Semprius modules went up in Arizona in August of 2010. Additional installations are set to be deployed before the end of 2011.

While the market for HCPV is still in its infancy, the volume of installations is expected to reach up to six gigawatts (GW) by 2020, according to Siemens. HCPV are especially suitable for areas with high direct sunlight, such as the sunbelt regions.