5 April 2013

A group of Université de Sherbrooke researchers is getting ready to carry out innovative work on solar energy and photovoltaic cells. To do so, they will make use of an imposing research tool: a solar concentrator with mirrors measuring approximately 100 m² focused permanently on the sun.

The structure, approximately 8 m long, is currently being built at the Université de Sherbrooke’s Innovation Park, south of the Institut interdisciplinaire d’innovation technologique (3IT – Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation).

The goal of the research project, headed up by Professor Luc Fréchette, is to develop new generations of high-performance photovoltaic cells.

While silicon-based solar panels are now very widespread, their efficiency in the field is only about 15%. Sherbrooke researchers are working on multijunction photovoltaic cells, which would have 30% efficiency in converting sunlight into electricity.

The demonstrator will also enable the researchers to test cells from industrial partners in Canada and elsewhere in the world. Indeed, many partners are already involved in the project, including Hydro-Sherbrooke.

This research project confirms the University of Sherbrooke’s reputation in the field of concentrated photovoltaics (CPV).

Source: La Tribune