PHOTOVOLTAIC RETROFIT DEVICE FOR ENHANCING POWER OUTPUT OF CONCENTRATING SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS

Patent No. 11,901,859

Expiration Date – 07/21/2040


• A photovoltaic device may be combined with a linear concentrating solar thermal power plant or retrofit to an existing solar thermal power plant. The concentrating solar thermal power plant includes a parabolic reflector trough assembly to achieve the solar concentration to a linear solar heat transfer target. 

• The present invention is directed to a combined concentrating solar thermal power plant and photovoltaic electric generation device. The most economical configuration is a photovoltaic retrofit device for enhancing power output of an existing concentrating solar thermal power plant.  In a retrofit installation most of the balance of plant is already constructed and only the solar cell direct current subsystem is required….