1. Rawlemon LTD
Mobile Concentrated Solar Power (MCSP) Technology
André S. Broessel
Rawlemon Laboratories, Barcelona / London, andre@rawlemon.co.uk
1
ABSTRACT
A stand-alone mobile concentrating photovoltaic (CPV)
system is being developed as a modular charging and
storage system for electronic consumer devices. The
MCSP system is composed of multiple micro
concentrator handheld modules and including an
accurate, inexpensive tracking mechanism. (See Figure
1.) The system capitalizes on the mobility of battery
driven independency devices and uses minimal and
inexpensive materials. The used multijunction solar cells
of the CPV system offer a low-cost, viable technology for
electricity off-grid generation. The MCSP system ensures
a high-efficient transfer of electric energy into battery
driven devices while reducing cell material and device
size by several times. Energy production projections
show cost payback periods are substantially below those
of existing solar systems.
1. OBJECTIVES
The research objectives of the system directly relate to
several goals of the ENERGY STAR1
specifications, the
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
(EPEAT) and the World Resources Institute (WRI)/World
Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Greenhouse Gas Protocol. In particular, the goal of the
MCSP system goes beyond these protocols, maximizing
the utilization of solar energy to lower the overall energy
consumption profile of electronic battery driven devices
with natural resources. By transferring concentrating
technology in handheld format, we propose a different
model for solar charging whereby the system manage a
direct charging cycle for diverse irradiation values, or
uses the internal powerbank to charge. This approach
has several advantages over existing solar chargers,
which are unable to perform stable electricity output
with larger amounts of diffuse light or low-light
conditions, with high losses due to tilt and 2.5 times
greater aperture.
Figure 1. MCSP Solar Charger and Powerbank
In Phase 1 of this project, we are designing, building, and
extensively testing a small-scale panel installation of
Version 2 of the MCSP solar system at the Barcelona
based laboratories. This demonstration follows the
building and testing of four previous prototypes (Figure 2),
including one that continues to be a test bed at
Rawlemon for the evaluation of power generation of
multiple cell types within the previous MCSP Solar
Modules (Figure 3). The post-occupancy testing of full-
scale prototypes will be critical in assessing the
operating constraints on power generation of the
system, as well as the assessment and development of
optimum applications for direct transfer to distributed
battery driven devices. For the latter challenge, we are
currently negotiating with strategic industrial partners to
help develop systems for the performance of charging
cycles of batteries.
Figure 2. CSP Solar Module - Version 1.4 50MM

2. 2
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. TECHNICAL
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4. CONCLUSI
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ERENCES
Requirements
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Source: NREL
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