Development and Testing of a Low-Concentrating Photovoltaic-Thermal Collector

Testing and certification of solar technologies are crucial to characterize and guarantee their performance under different operating conditions. These procedures are even more relevant for novel solar technologies such as low-concentrating photovoltaic-thermal (LCPV-T) collectors. This paper presents the development and early-stage testing of a LCPV-T collector in a newly established testing laboratory based on a comprehensive review of international standards. The testing facility was designed, built, and commissioned in the north of Mexico, and it is the first of its kind in Latin America. It allows us to evaluate the thermal and electrical performance of LCPV-T collectors with a maximum area of 6 m2 and electrical peak power of 3 kWe. The operational temperature of the LCPV-T collectors can reach up to 120°C and can be characterized under steady-state and quasi-dynamic testing conditions.